You are the director of emergency services for your community. The temperature outside is over 100 degrees, the humidity is only 17%, and the Santa Ana winds have begun to blow. At 10:15 a.m., a grass fire is reported and the local fire department is responding. As these first units arrive on scene they realize that the fire is out of control, and that homes are being threatened.
The on-scene commander quickly calls for additional fire units and for the police to begin evacuating homes that are being threatened. By 1:30 p.m., the fire has grown 10 times its original size and continues out of control; several houses are in immediate danger, and all local resources are now exhausted.
What steps would you take and when would you call for mutual aid? Additionally, at what point would you request federal assistance? Discuss the options available to you as the director of emergency services. Provide a thorough explanation of your choices.
