Treasure firefighters ready

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TREASURE VALLEY - Nearly two dozen firefighters from Nampa, Caldwell, Middleton and Meridian thought they were on their way home from California, but have now been reassigned and remain on standby.

Capt. Terry Leighton of the Nampa Fire Department said the Idaho strike team began demobilizing to return home Wednesday before being told they had been reassigned to a California Department of Forestry base in Chino, Calif.

The reassignment comes with the forecast of returning Santa Ana winds later this week that could put an end to the favorable conditions that have allowed thousands of firefighters to make progress in containing the blazes scorching the southern part of the state.

Leighton said the firefighters are now taking 12-hour shifts on standby and must be ready to deploy in five minutes at all times. This arrangement is expected to continue at least until Saturday.

Six other strike teams, similar in size to the Treasure Valley crews, accompany the Idahoans at the camp.

The Treasure Valley crews were put up in a hotel Tuesday and Wednesday nights before returning to duty Thursday morning, Leighton said. They also received a special honor.

''One of the things that was really cool was (Wednesday), the second-in-command of the Office of Emergency Services made a special point to say what a great job the Idaho team is doing.''

By Bryan Dooley

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