'When we do send our crews elsewhere, we make sure we backfill with extra shifts, make sure we are fully staffed. It's a big lift,' an official explained.
The question remains if resources will be available if another major fire sparks in the Bay Area.
"We still have a lot of resources here and we have a mutual agreement with other agencies to protect the community," explained Josh Shifrin with Cal Fire Santa Clara Unit.Alameda County Fire explained they require firefighters to do mandatory overtime to make sure the community stays protected. "When we do send our crews elsewhere, we make sure we backfill with extra shifts, make sure we are fully staffed. It's a big lift," Nishimoto said.
COVID also adds another challenge to the situation with many departments noting that some of their people are in quarantine.A spokesman for the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety told NBC Bay Area right now they simply don't have enough staffing to send a team. Most of the Bay Area firefighters sent to the Oak Fire are expected to be there for at least two more weeks.
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