Battalion Chief Thorin Day

Email: Thorin.Day@fire.ca.gov   

California National Guard Crews (CNA Crews)

            CAL FIRE was tasked with completing 35 Priority Fuel Reduction Projects in March of 2019.  Five of which were in Fresno County.  To help with this task, Governor Newsom deployed 5 California National Guard (CNA) crews to assist with the projects.  Two of the five crews were deployed to the Fresno-Kings Unit (FKU) in April of 2019.  Each crew was made of 1 CAL FIRE Fire Captain, two Firefighter 1’s and 20 troops from the CNA.  CNA Crews working with Unit personnel and private contractors, worked to complete the five fuel reduction projects.  Each project was to reduce the fuel load on the ground to slow and/or stop a wildfire from impacting a community or critical infrastructure.  All fuel reduction projects were complete by March of 2020.

            The following year the program was tasked with making the CNA crews, fire crews.  In addition to this, the Fresno-Kings Unit received two more CNA Crews.  Each crew completed extensive training and the crew readiness drill and ultimately became recogninzed as Type 1 Fire Crews.  The crews responded to all initial attack fires in the Unit, as well as emergencies throughout the State of California.