Fire Operations
The Cal OES Operations Division under the Fire and Rescue Branch coordinates the California Fire and Rescue Mutual Aid System. The response of fire and rescue personnel and resources, through the Mutual Aid System, includes responses to major fires, earthquakes, tsunamis, hazardous materials, and other disasters.
Fire Operations Contacts
Vacant, Deputy Chief
North – Fire Operations
Phone: TBD
Art Torrez, Deputy Chief
South – Fire Operations
Phone: (951) 320-2106
art.torrez@pfwt.caloes.ca.gov
Explore this Section
Regions
Fire and Rescue Division supporting the State Fire and Rescue Mutual Aid System
https://pfwt.caloes.ca.gov/cal-oes-divisions/fire-rescue/regions
California State Mutual Aid Pre-Incident / Mobilization Preparedness:
- California State Mutual Aid Pre-Incident Mobilization Preparedness Guideline
- Fire Weather Mobilization Score Sheet
- Fire Weather Predictive Services Links
- Fire Weather Resource Approval Form
- Fire Weather Resource Request Order Form
- Mud and Debris Flow Mobilization Score Sheet
- Mud and Debris Flow Score Sheet Links
- Mud and Debris Flow Resource Request Order Form
- OA Preposition PowerPoint
- ECC PowerPoint
- Sample Preposition OES F-42’s
- Sample Travel Expense Claim Reimbursement Log (F-142A)
- Errata
California Incident Command Certification System (CICCS)
The California Incident Command Certification System (CICCS) is a cooperative effort between the State Fire Marshal’s Office and the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, Fire and Rescue Branch. State Fire Training is a SFMO responsibility, while the movement of fire service resources throughout the state during times of emergency is the responsibility of Cal OES Fire and Rescue through the California Fire and Rescue Service Emergency Mutual Aid Plan.
The California Incident Command Certification System mission is an all-hazard qualification and certification system that enhances the ability of the State of California to deploy firefighting resources to complex and catastrophic incidents with trained and qualified personnel.
Fire Operations – CICCS
- 2018 CICCS CICCS Qualification Guide
- Appendix A Equivalency Matrix
- Appendix B Glossary
- Appendix C Position Task Book PMS 311-10 (Sample)
- Appendix D ICS 225 FEMA Performance Rating
- Appendix D ICS 225 WF (Sample)
- Appendix E Peer Review Application
- Appendix F CICCS Qualification Card
- Appendix F Qualification Card (IQS)
- Appendix G Resource Websites
- Miscellaneous
Cal OES Operations Bulletins
- Operations Bulletin 01 – April 2014
- Operations Bulletin 07 – April 2014
- Operations Bulletin 08 – April 2014
- Operations Bulletin 09 – April 2015
- Operations Bulletin 11 – June 2021
- Operations Bulletin 25 – April 2014
- Operations Bulletin 28 – January 2015
- Operations Bulletin 31 – April 2014
- Operations Bulletin 33 – April 2014
- Operations Bulletin 39 – April 2014
- Operations Bulletin 41 – April 2014
- Operations Bulletin 42 – April 2014
- Operations Bulletin 43 – February 2020
- Operations Bulletin 44 – April 2022
Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)
Fire Management Assistance is available to States, local and tribal governments, for the mitigation, management, and control of fires on publicly or privately owned forests or grasslands, which threaten such destruction as would constitute a major disaster. The Fire Management Assistance declaration process is initiated when a State submits a request for assistance to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Regional Director at the time a “threat of major disaster” exists. The entire process is accomplished on an expedited basis and a FEMA decision is rendered in a matter of hours.
The Fire Management Assistance Grant Program (FMAGP) provides a 75 percent Federal cost share and the State pays the remaining 25 percent for actual costs. Before a grant can be awarded, a State must demonstrate that total eligible costs for the declared fire meet or exceed either the individual fire cost threshold – which is applies to single fires, or the cumulative fire cost threshold, which recognizes numerous smaller fires burning throughout a State.
Eligible firefighting costs may include expenses for field camps; equipment use, repair and replacement; tools, materials and supplies; and mobilization and demobilization activities.
More information concerning the FMAG Program can be found on the FEMA FMAG web page:
https://www.fema.gov/fire-management-assistance-grant-program
Fire Operations – FMAG
California Mutual Aid System
The California Fire Service and Rescue Emergency Mutual Aid Plan is an extension of, and supportive document to, the California Emergency Plan.
The California Fire Service and Rescue Emergency Mutual Aid Plan as we know it today, was first prepared and adopted in 1950 as Annex 3-C of the California State Civil Defense and Disaster Relief Plan. This plan has been reviewed, revised, approved, and adopted after careful consideration by the Cal OES Fire and Rescue Service Advisory Committee/FIRESCOPE Board of Directors. The Purpose of the plan is:
- To provide for systematic mobilization, organization, and operation of necessary fire and rescue resources of the state and its political subdivisions in mitigating the effects of disasters, whether natural or man-caused.
- To provide comprehensive and compatible plans for the expedient mobilization and response of available fire and rescue resources on a local, area, regional, and statewide basis.
- To establish guidelines for recruiting and training auxiliary personnel to augment regularly organized fire and rescue personnel during disaster operations.
- To provide an annually-updated fire and rescue inventory of all personnel, apparatus, and equipment in California.
- To provide a plan and communication facilities for the interchange and dissemination of fire and rescue-related data, directives, and information between fire and rescue officials of local, state, and federal agencies.
- To promote annual training and/or exercises between plan participants.
Fire Operations – Mutual Aid
- Name Request Justification Form
- Fire and Rescue Resource Mutual Aid Guidelines
- Cal OES Assistant Chief Manual (Coordinator, Fire and Rescue)
- Fire Chief Manual (Orientation to the California Fire and Rescue Mutual Aid System)
- Cal OES Fire and Rescue – History and Organization Manual
- California Fire and Rescue Mutual Aid Plan
- Operational Area Coordinator Manual
- Region and Operational Area Coordinator Election Process
- Strike Team Leader Manual