With rising temperatures, rapidly drying vegetation, and the onset of summer weather patterns, CAL FIRE’s Tuolumne Calaveras Unit, or TCU, is preparing for an early start to the 2008 fire season. 74 seasonal firefighters, including recruits from Amador County, were hired on April 28 and are completing training this week.  This early hiring of seasonal staff is in addition to the 12 seasonal firefighters currently employed in TCU.  Starting today, these firefighters will staff the Unit’s 15 stations 24 hours per day.  In addition to fire engines, they’ll have 1 water-dropping helicopter, 1 air tactical airplane and 1 air tanker are in full operation at Columbia Air Attack Base.  Also, the 10 fire crews at Baseline and Vallecito Conservation Camps are staffed and will demonstrate their fire readiness at their annual drill May 6 and 7. The opening of fire season varies geographically throughout the state, based upon weather conditions, fuel loads and increased fire activity. The decision to staff the fire engines early is made by the Unit Chief based on local fire conditions.  By hiring seasonal firefighters, staffing fire facilities 24 hours per day, and bringing the air operations on early TCU has increased emergency response capabilities to match the fire potential in Tuolumne, Amador, and Calaveras counties.