Cal Fire facility near Sacramento plays crucial role in Southern California wildfire fight

    DAVIS, California (KOVR/KMAX) -- A Cal Fire facility in Davis is playing a crucial role in the response to the devastating Southern California wildfires. Hundreds of mutual-aid fire engines are stopping there first before making their way down to the Los Angeles area.

You've probably driven by the Cal Fire maintenance facility every time you cross the Yolo Causeway, but many people don't realize the key work they perform here to keep fire crews safe.

From bumper to bumper and all the essential equipment in between, the mechanics there make sure firefighter vehicles are safe before they ever get to the flames.

"The last thing you want to happen is for them to have a breakdown at the fireline," said Darren Law, a Cal Fire senior forestry equipment manager. "It puts a lot of people in jeopardy."

It's been the busiest week in the history of this Cal Fire equipment maintenance depot just off Interstate 80 in Davis.

"We were getting calls right away for help," Law said.

Normally in January, the facility performs routine winter maintenance on Cal Fire vehicles.

But now this team of more than two dozen mechanics is inspecting and repairing fire engines from across the western states that are on their way to the Southern California fires.

"The vehicles from Washington, Oregon, and Idaho were passing through this way anyways, so it made perfect sense for them to stop in here and do a pre-mobilization inspection because, otherwise, they'd have to go through one down in L.A. and they're already overwhelmed," Law said.

Some of these fire crews are driving more than a thousand miles to reach L.A.

"These are very big machines that vibrate a lot, so over the course of that long drive, things start to rattle loose on these things," Law said.

Their goal is to get a strike team of five engines checked out and back on the road in less than 45 minutes. Of the more than 200 out-of-state fire engines inspected, 29 have needed repairs.

"We did find some tires that were almost 21 years old on one rig," Law said.

The dangers of responding to a disaster are made a little less risky thanks to this roadside pit stop in Davis.

"We want to make sure that they're deployed ready to go and safe," Law said.

Much of the state's cost for inspecting and repairing these fire vehicles will be reimbursed from federal disaster funds.