CHULA VISTA, Calif (KGTV) -- Firefighters from the Chula Vista Fire Department are among a number of local fire teams currently helping crews battle the Dixie Fire in Northern California.
The Dixie Fire has been burning now for two weeks, across two Butte and Plumas counties. The blaze has burned over 226,000 acres and is now one of the largest in state history, destroying dozens of buildings and forcing evacuations.
A team of eight Chula Vista firefighters is currently there, assigned to help fight the fire. The department is one of several local teams sent as part of a state mutual aid program.
The mutual aid system consists of an agreement between the state's Office of Emergency Services and local fire departments. The departments receive equipment from the state and are deployed when needed for a fire emergency.
The assignments do not impact fire response times at home.
The San Diego Fire-Rescue Department, National City, Poway, Santee and San Miguel Fire also have crews up north.
The firefighters will work for two weeks, before they are rotated out.
