[Carry_Okie]

Ever since the unions took over the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the engine crews have taken on a remarkable change. All the experienced and dedicated firefighters I knew are now gone (and if you talk to them they are very bitter about the changes). There is now a sizable fraction of women on the crews, most clearly too small for wildland firefighting.

So what did the unions make CDF do? They changed the work rules for firefighting! Now we have politically correct wildland fires. Too often, the crews just stand and watch your house burn. "Unsafe working conditions" you know.

A couple of weeks ago we had a fire above Stevens Creek Reservoir. I saw a half dozen crew just sitting at the staging area for days. The fire was under control by Friday, but ALL the crews were on over the Labor Day weekend, from what I can tell it was so that they could get holiday pay.

It's been a slow fire season, so my bet is they thing they have to spend the budget or it won't grow the way they expect.

[Carry_Okie]

Yoops, typo... I saw a half dozen (probably more) CREWS sitting there... The burn-rate (of money) for all that equipment was most impressive.