By Brian Brooks
Press Enterprise
It’s 9:30 a.m. Monday, and the 20-member, all-Native American Navajo Scouts hand crew from Arizona is checking on their gear at the Lake Fire’s camp at Big Bear High after returning from a grueling, 15-hour overnight shift.
They dug fire breaks and extinguished flames in a so-far-successful effort to prevent the fire from jumping Highway 38.
“It’s pretty tough,” said crew boss Neil Damon, 33. “The terrain was rocky. A lot of heat, a lot of fire.”
Moments before, they had been chowing down on huevos rancheros, green chili potatoes, bacon, pancakes with maple butter, grits, fresh fruit and beverages. The crew then lugged their 45-pound backpacks to a darkened gymnasium, where they’d try to catch eight hours of sleep.
Housing, feeding and maintaining the health of the almost 2,000 people battling the Lake Fire or lending support to the firefighters is a massive job for the U.S. Forest Service.
FEEDING AN ARMY
Here are statistics on food and water at the fire camp through June 22 at the Lake Fire, which started Wednesday.
30,000: Pounds of ice
11,100: Gallons of water
10,400: Hot meals
7,000: Lunches
4,961: Gallons of Gatorade
2,100: Pounds of ribs
Source: U.S. Forest Service
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