Reno Volunteer Firefighter and Allen Fire Department Firefighter Michael Fox received a certificate of congressional recognition after helping aid in California’s largest wildfire.
Along with two other Allen firefighters and a captain, Fox received the Hometown Hero certificate for helping fight the devastating wildfires currently plaguing California.
Fox was surprised to receive the congressional recognition because “that’s what we do as firemen.”
“We try to help people when we can, and it’s definitely humbling to be recognized,” he said. “But we don’t do what we do for the recognition. When we do get something, it sure means a lot.”
With the Allen Brush 5 unit and the Type 3 Wildland Fire Apparatus, Fox and the other three firefighters helped work California’s largest fire – the August Complex fire. They left out on Sept. 11, took the three-day drive to California and worked for two, tiresome weeks.
“Everything there was so dry that anything and everything burned,” he said.
Fox said the August Complex has burned more than 1 million acres, and according to reports, it’s now been classified as a ‘gigafire.’
“There were three command centers on that one fire because it had a 100-mile flame-front,” he said. “The hills and mountainous terrain causes the fire to burn even more rapid. We drove 2 and a half hours one way where we worked. It was about 50-55 miles, and the roads were so rough it took so long to get to where we were needed.”
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