Fire Protection

Responding to all types of emergencies on a daily basis is the job done by 90 percent of the CAL FIRE workforce. Those emergencies take the form of wildland fires, residential/commercial structure fires, automobile accidents, heart attacks, drownings, lost hikers, hazardous material spills on highways, train wrecks, floods, earthquakes - the list is endless. CAL FIRE firefighters, fire engines and aircraft respond to an average of more than 5,600 wildland fires, and answer the call more than 300,000 times for other emergencies each year.

CAL FIRE crews and equipment are a familiar sight throughout the State with responsibility for the protection of over 31 million acres of California's privately-owned wildlands. In addition, they provide emergency services of all kinds within 36 of California's 58 counties through local government contracts.

The information provided on these pages depicts the challenges CAL FIRE�s dedicated, well-trained, emergency response forces face each day, and how they meet those challenges.