SAN DIEGO (Border Report) — A seldom used agreement between Mexico and U.S. was enacted last month when the Guadalajara 2 Complex fire threatened to jump the border and damage the communities of Campo and Jacumba in California.
It started when Baja California Governor Marina del Pilar Olmeda called Cal Fire looking for help to suppress several fires that were raging out of control in the mountains east of Tijuana.
“Baja California was resource deficient because they had multiple fires burning in the region,” said Cal Fire Battalion Chief John Clark.
Clark told Border Report, per the international mutual aid agreement, Cal Fire immediately sprung into action.
“Cal Fire was able to send a response that consisted of two hand crews and one fire bulldozer and ultimately helped put the fire out that was near Jacumba and Campo on the U.S. side.”
According to Clark, the crews entered Mexico via the the Tecate Port of Entry and began coordinating with their counterparts in Baja.
“We were able to use minimum amount of resources to mitigate the issue on the Mexican side so it did not grow into a larger fire and cause more risk to residents of California.”
The agreement between Mexico and the U.S. has been in place for more than 20 years.
It also allows for binational training and the sharing of equipment.
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