Local Firefighters To Help Battle 15,000-Acre Fire

A crew from the Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department headed to Tulare County at 2 a.m. to help battle a large wildfire. The blaze, called the "Bull Fire," has grown to about 15,000 acres and have destroyed six buildings.

The four-man crew, from Fire Station 4 on Bernal Avenue, joined others from Hayward, Fremont, Alameda County and Contra Costa County to form a Strike Team.

Battallion Chief Joe Testa said a strike team is typically sent out to help in wildland fires. Testa said assignments might include protecting structures, constructing fire lines and directly atttacking the fires.

The LPFD crew could be gone for up to seven days, according to a release from the fire department. The release also stated that the fire department will be reimbursed by the state for personnel and equipment costs incurred from the deployment.

Tulare County, located south of Fresno, is also affected by another wildfire  called the "West Fire." That fire has grown to about 1,200 acres and started in Kern County.

For the latest on wildfire information visit the Cal Fire website.