Coffee Creek neighbors concerned about firefighting tactics at their gateway to the Trinity Alps

COFFEE CREEK, Calif. – Some people in Coffee Creek in Trinity County are sharing their concern about firefighting on the River Complex in their area.

The Haypress Fire, part of the River Complex, is burning mostly in the Klamath National Forest. Some of it has burned into the Trinity Alps Wilderness area. Coffee Creek is considered one of the primary gateways to the Trinity Alps.

Action News Now reporter Ryan Kanne went to Coffee Creek over the weekend to talk to people who have been trying to fight the fire themselves. Some expressed frustration over the Forest Service firefighting operations, saying they had community volunteer firefighters sent away, and have had to fight smaller spot fires themselves, with their own equipment.

Bill Hartman, part of the family that owns the popular Coffee Creek Ranch on Coffee Creek Rd., said, “We’ve gone up and helped neighbors to save their houses and stuff like that, because there’s not one water tender on this whole side of the fire in the Shasta-T, the Haypress Fire.”

“So, I volunteered my time with my water truck to save certain houses up there and friends,” he said. He told Kanee at times he was turned away from his efforts by the federal firefighters. He said others in the area have experienced the same thing.

“They keep saying they have no resources, but there’s people here that have resources that want to help — but they are pushing them away, basically, and it’s just pretty sad,” he added.

The federal firefighters acknowledge that there have not been very many resources on the Trinity side of the River Complex/Haypress Fire over the last few weeks, but he said on Sunday fire crews will be shifting over there. Resources for firefighting in California are in limited supply.

River Complex Public Information Officer Nick Hollaway met with our reporter to discuss the firefighting efforts. He said, “This fire is under a full suppression strategy, using direct and indirect tactics — and so we shift resources around wherever priorities are on any given day.”

Bill Hartman and his family said they are thankful for all that firefighters are able to do, and hope they can help keep their community safe.

Ruth Hartman, who is Bill Hartman’s mother, explained, “This is an ancient Indian site on Coffee Creek Ranch. It’s also been the site of the historical town of Coffee, California — so we don’t want to see it destroyed and we don’t want to see anybody come in and destroy it for us….  let alone a fire.”

As the fire continues to spread, many people in Coffee Creek are also defending their homes by creating and expanding their own containment lines and keeping their properties and buildings watered down.

CLICK HERE to find the latest information on the River Complex.