Pine Ridge Volunteer Fire Department
15 Members of 24 Person Staff Lost Homes in Creek Fire

The Mission of the Pine Ridge Volunteer Fire Department is to protect the quality and mode of life in the Pine Ridge community for present and future generations through interaction with our community and compassionate service.
Fifteen of the twenty-four members of the Pine Ridge Volunteer Fire Department lost their homes during the Creek Fire.

Several of them continued to fight the Creek Fire, despite losing their own homes to the massive blaze.

The Pine Ridge tract lost 66 out of 88 houses. Three engines from the Pine Ridge Volunteer Fire Department where destroyed by the Creek Fire. The federal engine was one of our active engines, but it was parked in front of a firefighter's house when the flames came through.

The second engine is a 1985 structure engine that was retired, and we hadn't got around to selling it yet. A streak of aluminum from what was the tank flowed downhill away from the engine.

The third engine, a 1959 water tender, was sold to a private buyer who hadn't picked it up yet. It burned down in front of another firefighter's house.

The Pine Ridge Volunteer Fire Department (PRVFD) provides vital
fire protection and first response medical service for the Pine Ridge community.

Pine Ridge is located in Fresno County, California, six miles below Shaver Lake; Latitude 37°03'54.00"N. Longitude 119°20'11.04"W. Elevations range from 4,600 to 5,600 feet.

This area of the Sierra is heavily forested with a variety of pine, oak, fir and cedar trees as well as dense undergrowth consisting of Manzanita, deer brush and bear clover.

Fire departments in this area must be equipped and trained to fight both wildland and structure fires.

As you most likely know now, the Creek Fire not only destroyed the homes of nearly everyone in the department, much of the equipment was also destroyed or damaged.

Nonetheless, the Pine Ridge Volunteer Fire Department continues to carry out our mission. We are still in need of a new patrol, PPE and other gear and tools that were destroyed, but we are actively training and are prepared to respond to both fire and medical emergencies.

The only funding we receive is through donations, the occasional grant and our annual Tri-tip Barbecue on the day of the Shaver Lake Fireworks. If you would like to support us please go to our donations page to learn how.