Newport-Mesa firefighters help battle San Diego fires

More than a dozen Costa Mesa and Newport Beach firefighters were called upon to help battle wildfires in San Diego County this week.

Starting Wednesday afternoon, two Costa Mesa battalion chiefs were tapped to head an Orange County team headed for San Marcos, where they battled the 1,200-acre Cocos fire for at least 24 hours straight.

Early Thursday, one engine each from Newport and Costa Mesa headed south with a second Orange County team to protect homes from the blaze that has eaten through structures in San Marcos and Escondido.

When large fires break out in California, smaller fire departments typically organize with other nearby cities to form strike teams of five engines so they can send aid without depleting their own resources.

“That way we can go help the neighbors,” Newport Beach Division Chief Ralph Restadius said.

In total, Costa Mesa has sent eight fire personnel and an engine south to the wildfires. Newport Beach sent five personnel and an engine. An additional Newport Beach Fire Department battalion chief headed north to assist with a brush fire that sparked in Ventura County on Wednesday.

Most recently, Costa Mesa Fire Capt. Bruce Pulgencio was tapped Friday morning to help attack the San Diego fires from the air.

Pulgencio is a U.S. Army reserve operations helicopter pilot in addition to his role at the Fire Department.

The eighth person to be called away from the Costa Mesa Fire Department was Battalion Chief Bill Kershaw, who was dispatched to the Tomahawk fire near Camp Pendleton on Wednesday afternoon.

Because so many of Costa Mesa’s high-ranking fire personnel were pulled away, Deputy Chief Fred Seguin stepped in to manage local resources, according to the department.