07/21/08 — A Meadville area man who recently left his wife, kids, business and the lazy days of summer behind has joined a massive effort in California to extinguish a wildfire that’s been raging for more than a month.

Vince Viscuso, 37, owner of Vinnie’s Heating and Cooling and a part-time fireman for Franklin Fire Department, left July 11, bound for Los Padres National Forest. There he converged with nearly 2,000 other specially-trained firemen to fight the Basin Complex fire that began June 21 and has consumed about 138,000 acres of forest.

According to his wife, Richelle Viscuso, after a little more than a week on the front lines, she said he’s found the experience “very humbling.”

“Vinnie said that you don’t appreciate the beauty of the California forests until after you’ve seen the destruction after it has burned,” she said. “The countryside is even more rural than Pennsylvania,” she said. “It’s been terrible watching the wildlife such as mule deer and mountain lions losing their homes and abandoning the forest.”

The fire, which began when lightening struck two separate locations in the forest, is burning about 15 miles northwest of King City.

Due to the size of the blaze, teams of firemen have been assigned to one of two different locations. According to Richelle, her husband is a member of a six-man crew that has been fighting the East Basin Complex area.

Base camp for those who are working on the eastern portion of the fire is located in Tassajara. The typical day begins at 4 a.m. when crews are awakened. After breakfast the firefighters are bused to the top of the mountain where they either work the line or patrol the areas and act as lookouts. There are a total of 10 crews in all. When the day is done and it’s time to return to camp, Richelle said the men are exhausted.

“Besides having to walk up and down the mountain carrying a 50-pound equipment pack, he said he’s tired because he’s not sleeping well,” she said. “They are living in tents in an area that is nearly overrun with scorpions and ants.”

Other inhospitable aspects of the environment include poison oak, which has become a real problem because “it’s growing everywhere” and that you can’t walk more than 10 feet without bumping into it.”

Nearly halfway through Vinnie’s two-week rotation, Richelle said Vinnie’s three daughters and two step-daughters do seem to be suffering a bit in their father’s absence.

“Paige, Vinnie’s oldest daughter, is a real daddy’s girl. They have a very special relationship between them and she misses him so much that she’s cried herself to sleep nearly every night since he left.”

Paige is the former goodwill ambassador for the Muscular Dystrophy Association and has appeared on several of the Erie-based televised segments of the Jerry Lewis Telethon.

The good news is that while they miss him and worry about his safety, they have been able to communicate through cell phone.

“We all look forward to his calls,” Richelle said. “But he’s only been able to call us when he can make it to the top of the mountain because cell phone coverage isn’t available in many areas.”

Due to the intensity of the situation, and the tremendous physical stress that the job requires, the firemen who fight wildfires are only permitted to work in two-week intervals. According to Richelle, this ensures that there is always a contingent of “fresh men on the front line.” After two weeks the firefighters are booked on chartered flights and sent home. Vinnie’s return date has been set for sometime after July 28.

According to the United States Forest Service, despite the passing of nearly six weeks, there is still significant smoke visible from the fire. Currently the USFS estimates that between 65 and 70 percent of the wildfire is contained. Recent forecasts indicate that if the current plan is maintained and it can continue with “extensive burnout operations” or controlled burns to “consume fuel between the edge of the fire and the control line,” the wildfire should be completely extinguished July 30.

Richelle said she is extremely proud of her husband, and is confident that the dozen years of experience that he has had as a volunteer and professional firefighter has prepared him for the job, and that all of the wildfire training he has undertaken is being put to good use. And now with only a week left, she said that everyone continues to “handling things well,” including the clients of his heating and cooling business.

“We are all really proud of him that he is there fighting to preserve the beautiful California forest,” she said. “And his customers have been very supportive and understanding, as well, and said their problems would wait till he returns.”