Newark man is fighting brush fires in California

Jonathan Dedrick, a 2000 Newark High School graduate, is fighting brush fires in northern California.

He received his FEMA certification in wildfire containment and suppression this spring from FLCC. He contacted the National Forestry Service to say he was willing to be called this summer to help fight wildfires. He was notified by the NFS that he would be part of a 20-man unit from New York State that would be going to California.

After joining his unit in Saratoga Springs, they were bused to Harrisburg to join two units from Pennsylvania. They flew by charter jet to St. Louis to pick up two units from Missouri. From there they were flown to Redding, California for their assignment.

They began their stint on August 4 and will be fighting wild fires through August 17.

The National Forestry Service limits these men to two weeks of firefighting and then replaces them with other trained units from around the United States.

He is the son of Bob and Elsie Dedrick of Woodlane, Newark.

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