Great cooperation on Rough fire

As incident commander for the south zone of the Rough fire, I appreciate all the cooperation that went into suppressing this massive wildfire. Local people and organizations worked together to provide the infrastructure and support that allowed thousands of firefighters from all over the country to suppress the fire spread.

Many cherished sites were involved in the fire, including the magnificent giant sequoia trees, which, while threatened, remain in excellent condition.

I want to thank the residents who were inconvenienced by evacuation orders and roadblocks for their patience. By staying out of the fire areas they permitted emergency responders to safely fight the fire and protect their homes and buildings.

I am grateful for the consistent cooperation that occurred between the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, Caltrans, Fresno County Roads, PG&E, Red Cross, local emergency responders, Sequoia National Forest and Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Park employees, CalFire, Red Cross, concessionaires, private landowners and others. Working together allowed us to develop, coordinate, and execute successful plans.

This was an aggressive, dangerous fire. Every day our concern was for firefighter and public safety. Fortunately, the safety record was outstanding.

I wish you all the best as you deal with recovery from the Rough fire.

Rocky W. Opliger

This story was originally published October 2, 2015 at 6:55 AM with the headline "Great cooperation on Rough fire."