Bexar County ESD has two Strike teams, which consist of more than two dozen firefighters, nine fire engines and one mission.
SAN ANTONIO — The moment wildfires spark, Bexar County’s specialized force of firefighters is ready to respond.
Over the past couple weeks, these crews have been challenged when fighting fires amid gusty winds and dry conditions.
“We’ve seen success with the system that we’ve been doing with the Strike teams. The biggest benefit is having a large number of resources responding at the first alarm,” said Salvador Buthcer, Battalion Chief with Bexar County Emergency Services District 2.
Bexar County ESD has two Strike teams, which consist of more than two dozen firefighters, nine fire engines and one mission.
“These teams are automatically dispatched to all of those scenes no matter where they are in the county and so we have a bigger response earlier and hopefully we can do our best to keep the fires as small as possible,” Butcher said.
The Duke fire burned more than 200 acres in Bexar and Atascosa counties, destroying at least six homes. Butcher stressed the weather-driven event proved tough for firefighters trying to contain the blaze alongside other departments.
“The day of the Duke Fire, we had both teams stood up,” Butcher said. “We just had a culmination of factors, the wind, the RH and just the general ruralness of there being lots of brushy, flashy fuels that are ready to ignite.”
Butcher believes public awareness is vital to helping improve the Strike Team’s response. Among the immediate wishes, Butcher hopes is granted soon involves Mother Nature giving the world a break.
“Just public education, when and when not to burn, creating a defensible space around homes, that means having 10-15-20 feet of space between your house and the woods. The biggest takeaway is, we need rain.”