Petrolia Volunteer Fire Department

06/10/2026

Thank you Redheaded Blackbelt for such an amazing article about such an amazing event!!

👉 Read more on Redheaded Blackbelt.
https://kymkemp.com/2026/06/09/from-a-native-village-site-to-the-fireline-southern-humboldts-wildland-readiness-drill-builds-skills-community-and-a-future-for-this-rural-area/

From a Native Village Site to the Fireline: Southern Humboldt's Wildland Readiness Drill Builds Skills, Community and a Future for this Rural Area

"The first big fire our people see should not be coming over the hill into Shelter Cove," Jack Hargrave of Shelter Cove Fire said. "A two-week assignment on a strike team can bring in about a half a million dollars to the local area."

👉 Read more on Redheaded Blackbelt.

06/08/2026

Yesterday, June 7, 2026, members of Petrolia Fire participated in the annual Wildland Readiness Drill and RT-130.

Before anything else, we’d like to give a huge shout out to everyone from Petrolia Fire who helped make the day happen. From those serving in command staff roles to the firefighters participating in the drill itself, our members represented the department extremely well. Whether they were helping coordinate operations, instructing, evaluating, supporting logistics, or training on the ground, their hard work and commitment were on full display throughout the day.

Events like this do not happen by accident. The amount of planning, coordination, and hard work that goes into making a day like this successful is hard to put into words.

From the firefighters who showed up ready to train, to the instructors, evaluators, visitors, organizers, and countless volunteers working behind the scenes, every part of the day reflected the dedication and commitment that exists throughout the fire service. The training itself was outstanding, but what stood out just as much was the sense of community, cooperation, and shared purpose that brought everyone together.

Throughout the day, firefighters rotated through a variety of realistic training scenarios focused on building the skills needed for safe and effective wildland fire operations. Participants worked on hoselay operations, handline construction, fire shelter deployment, equipment familiarization, and aviation related training while also strengthening communication, decision making, teamwork, and coordination in the field. These hands on exercises help ensure firefighters from different agencies can work together safely and effectively when real incidents occur.

While there are far too many people, organizations, and sponsors to name individually, we do want to give special recognition to Briceland Volunteer Fire Department for creating this event years ago and helping grow it into what is now one of the largest wildland readiness drills in the country. That kind of success does not happen without years of dedication to recruiting, retaining, and training firefighters who are committed to serving their communities.

We would also like to recognize Southern Humboldt Fire & Rescue for its continued support and leadership. As departments continue working together through the Joint Powers Agreement, opportunities like this become even more valuable. Training side by side strengthens relationships, improves coordination, and helps ensure we are all better prepared when our communities need us most.

A special mention also goes to CAL FIRE’s Kneeland Helitack crew for bringing the new Firehawk helicopter to the event. Having the opportunity to see the aircraft up close and learn more about its capabilities was a highlight for many of the firefighters in attendance. We also appreciated the opportunity to spend time with the crew from REACH Air Medical Services and learn more about the role they play in emergency response throughout our region.

Seeing this many organizations, agencies, and community partners come together in one place is a reminder of what makes the fire service so special. Every instructor, evaluator, sponsor, volunteer, and firefighter played a role in making the day successful, and the impact of that effort will carry forward long after the training grounds have been packed up.

This event would not have been possible without Briceland Volunteer Fire Department, Southern Humboldt Fire & Rescue, Southern Humboldt Community Park, Mattole Restoration Council, Southern Humboldt County Technical Rescue Team, Telegraph Ridge Volunteer Fire, Redway Fire Protection District, Shelter Cove Fire Department, Southern Humboldt Fire Chiefs Association, Whitethorn Fire Protection District, Honeydew Volunteer Fire Company, Myers Flat Volunteer Fire Department, Friends of Garberville Fire Protection District, Palo Verde Volunteer Fire Department, CAL FIRE’s Kneeland Helitack, REACH Air Medical Services, local representatives from the office of Mike McGuire, County Supervisor Michelle Bushnell, the Southern Humboldt Business and Visitor’s Bureau, and the many other organizations, sponsors, instructors, evaluators, and volunteers who contributed their time, resources, and expertise to this event.

06/06/2026

This weekend marks the final weekend of the Southern Humboldt Wildland Firefighter Academy, and we’re pretty excited for two of Petrolia Fire’s newest firefighters.

Over the last couple weekends, they’ve been putting in the work, learning everything from fire behavior and firefighter safety to hoselays, handline construction, fire shelter deployment, and the many other skills needed to operate safely and effectively on wildland fires. Sunday’s RT130 Wildland Readiness Drill brings much of that training together in a large scale, hands on exercise with firefighters from across the region.

It’s also pretty cool to see how many Petrolia Fire members are helping make this event happen. From instructors and support staff to participants and coordinators, our department has folks involved throughout the academy and this weekend’s drill.

Watching new firefighters build their skills while experienced firefighters pass along their knowledge is one of the best parts of the fire service. That’s how strong departments are built, and it’s a big part of what helps keep our communities safer.

Good luck to everyone wrapping up the academy this weekend. We can’t wait to see these two firefighters finish strong and bring everything they’ve learned back to Petrolia Fire.
All pictures from 2025 WRD

06/05/2026

Today, Petrolia Fire, Honeydew Fire, and Silke Communications worked together to install the repeater at the new repeater site on Shenanigan, helping improve radio coverage throughout Petrolia and the Mattole Valley.

Good communication is one of the most important tools firefighters have. Reliable radio coverage helps us coordinate resources, improve firefighter safety, and better serve our communities when emergencies happen.

A huge thank you to Honeydew Fire and Silke Communications for their partnership and support. Working together with neighboring departments and the businesses that support first responders is super awesome, and we’re excited about what this upgrade means for the future of emergency communications in the Mattole Valley.

06/02/2026

Have you ever noticed that first responders don’t always run into emergencies?

It seems counterintuitive. There’s an emergency, adrenaline is high, and then you see first responders walking calmly toward the scene instead of sprinting.

But there’s a reason for it.

First responders are trained to move with purpose, not panic.

Running can create tunnel vision and reduce situational awareness. Moving in calmly allows responders to scan for hazards like traffic, fire conditions, unstable structures, downed power lines, aggressive animals, hazardous materials, or other dangers that could make the situation worse.

It also helps responders stay physically and mentally prepared. Sprinting into a scene spikes heart rate, affects breathing, and can make fine motor skills more difficult right when precision matters most. Whether it’s providing medical care, operating equipment, conducting a rescue, or making critical decisions, staying controlled matters.

Just as importantly, calm is contagious. During an emergency, people often take their cues from those responding. A calm, focused presence helps bring order to chaos and reassures people that help has arrived.

There’s a saying often heard throughout emergency services:

“Slow is smooth. Smooth is fast.”

The goal isn’t to move slowly. The goal is to move effectively.

In emergency response, composure is often more valuable than speed.

05/30/2026

We’ve got two recent additions to Petrolia Fire taking the next big step by attending the Southern Humboldt Wildland Fire Academy.

They’re taking time out of their lives to get properly trained and prepared to respond to wildfires and help protect the communities around them. Stepping up to serve your community takes commitment, and we’re proud to recognize both of them for putting in the work and answering that call.

We also want to recognize the organizations helping make this training possible. Huge thanks to Briceland Volunteer Fire Department, the Mattole Restoration Council, and the Humboldt County Fire Instructors’ Association for supporting opportunities like this and helping invest in the future of local firefighters.

We’re excited to see them continue their training journey and proud to have them representing Petrolia Fire.

05/29/2026

Go support the awesome Myers Flat team and get to meet Marvin and eat delicious burgers for an amazing cause!!

💥VOTED BEST BURGERS IN MYERS FLAT 10 YEARS RUNNING!💥 Stop by and take your taste buds to happytown!💥 Help support our fire department💥💥💥💥Saturdays 11-3 in Myers Flat! 💥

05/25/2026

After two full weekends of the Public Safety First Aid course (PSFA) put on by Petrolia Fire, we’re walking away feeling incredibly grateful for the amazing group of people who came together for this class. We had students from all over Humboldt County, including a lot of new firefighters who are now heading back to their departments and getting ready for the Southern Humboldt Wildland Fire Academy next weekend.

It’s hard not to feel excited seeing so many people willing to step up, learn new skills, and dedicate their time to helping others. The fire and medical communities are something really special. People from different departments, backgrounds, and experiences all came together with the same goal of learning how to better care for and protect our communities. That kind of teamwork and support is what makes the volunteer fire service so strong.

A huge thank you goes out to Virginia Plambeck for teaching this course and sharing so much knowledge, experience, and encouragement with everyone involved. It was awesome watching students gain confidence and learn skills that could truly make a difference during an emergency.

Special thanks as well to Chief Medical Officer Nari Carmody, Lieutenant Trinity Hennessee, Captain Tina deProspero, and everyone else who helped put this course together behind the scenes. These trainings take a tremendous amount of work, and it would not happen without dedicated people willing to put in the time for others.

We also want to give a special thank you to the Petrolia Fire Department and the commissioners for allowing us to use the fire department as a classroom space, and to the Mattole Valley Community Center for welcoming us and allowing us to hold classes there during both weekends. Having community support like this is what makes trainings like these possible.

Seeing so many folks spend their weekends learning how to help their neighbors is a really good reminder of what this community is all about. We’re proud of everyone who participated and excited to see these new firefighters continue their training journey next weekend at the Southern Humboldt Wildland Firefighter Academy.

05/22/2026

On Wednesday, May 20th, Petrolia Volunteer Fire Department attended the 2026 Spring Member Meeting of the Humboldt County Prescribed Burn Association, and it was incredible to see the amount of growth, energy, and passion happening within this community. Hearing about all the new pumps, equipment, projects, and expanding membership was honestly super awesome.

We are especially proud to share that two members of Petrolia Fire were among ten people recognized with Coordinator Awards. Congratulations to Captain Joseph Sandoval and Lieutenant Christian Calinsky.

We also want to recognize the other award recipients Bri, Ethan, Katelyn, Steven, Austin, Jordan, Paul, and Michael. Congratulations as well to McGuire for receiving the New Firefighter Award and Zoe for receiving Burner of the Year. Working alongside all of these folks has been really great, and we look forward to continuing to work alongside them in the future.

One of the best things about this community is how inclusive it is. Ranchers, firefighters, students, land stewards, and community members all coming together to do important work for our forests, landscapes, and communities. Petrolia Fire has been honored to be part of the Humboldt County Prescribed Burn Association since 2024, and we are grateful to stand beside so many amazing fire practitioners.

Petrolia Fire also wants to thank the Humboldt County Prescribed Burn Association for recognizing our firefighters’ hard work and for recognizing Petrolia Fire and all the work our members have been putting in as part of this amazing community.

05/19/2026

The Humboldt County Prescribed Burn Association’s Spring 2026 Member Meeting is coming up on Wednesday, May 20th, and it’s a great opportunity to connect with others who care deeply about stewardship, wildfire resilience, and bringing good fire back to the landscape.

Prescribed burning is one of the most important tools we have for reducing wildfire risk, improving forest and grassland health, protecting communities, and restoring ecosystems that have depended on fire for generations. These burns help reduce excess fuels before fire season, support healthy habitats, and strengthen the relationship between people and the land.

It’s also about community. The more neighbors, firefighters, landowners, ranchers, and volunteers work together and learn from each other, the stronger and more prepared Humboldt County becomes.

If you’ve ever been curious about prescribed fire, want to meet others involved in the movement, or just want to learn more about what’s happening locally, this is a great event to attend. Good food, good people, and important conversations.

Huge appreciation to everyone helping move this work forward across Humboldt County.🔥