Sedona escaped the summer fire season without a major wildland fire but Sedona firefighters were on the front lines elsewhere.

Sedona escaped the summer fire season without a major wildland fire but Sedona firefighters were on the front lines elsewhere.

Crews went to Georgia, California, Montana and Idaho to help communities battle fires threatening their structures.

“When we need help, folks come here,” SFD Battalion Chief Scott Schwisow said. So, when fires burn in other parts of the country, SFD is willing to  help.

Last year, during the Brins and La Barranca fires, crews came to help.

“Our neighbors helped us,” SFD Fire Inspector Gary Johnson said. During wildfires, agencies can’t stand alone.

Schwisow returned Aug. 21 from the Poe Cabin Fire in Idaho, where he served as a task force leader for 14 days straight. Before heading to Idaho, Schwisow helped crews for two week stretches in both California and Georgia.

After monsoon arrived in Arizona, SPD was able to send more resources  to other regions of the country. When fire danger is high in the area, SFD doesn’t send many firefighters out in case they are needed at home, Schwisow said.

Currently, four firefighters, one communications manager and an engine are up north.

SFD firefighters Jamie Ingrao, Josh Wells, Paul Chabot and Keith Christofferson are in Idaho with an engine. SFD Communications Manager Terry Schleizer is in Montana. SFD Battalion Chief Jason Coil recently returned from Montana as well.

Sending crews to other fires isn’t only about neighbors helping neighbors, Johnson said. Crews get wildland fire experience they can’t get in Sedona.

“It’s just kind of a level of comfort you bring back,” Schwisow said. Being on a major fire instills faith in the system used to control operations. It teaches firefighters the chain of command from the incident chief down to ground crews.

Wildland fires also place a huge demand on resources — including crews — that are often hard to meet.

“The wildfire community is actually a very small community,” Schwisow said. There are few firefighters across the nation with the skills needed to perform on wildland detail.

SFD managed to avoid a major fire this season by quickly suppressing a few small brush fires that popped up around the district.

“I think we probably dodged the bullet,” Schwisow said.

While the monsoon gave SFD a break, Schwisow said fall could foster a small fire season. Rain makes grass grow that will eventually dry out in the fall becoming fire fuel.

Sedona may not be entirely in the clear but the threat of a Brins or La Barranca repeat seems to have washed away with the rain.

Trista Steers can be reached at 282-7795, Ext. 129, or e-mail to tsteers@larsonnewspapers.com.