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Golden Eagles Hotshots pose for a crew photo on the Santa Barbara fire site while the massive historic Zaca fire blazes and smokes in the background. Photo: John Warren
THE SECOND LARGEST WILDFIRE IN CALIF HISTORY -- Zaca 2 Incident, Los Padres National Forest, Santa Barbara, CA, July-August 2007 -- had already burned over 350 square miles or over 30,000 acres when the firemen took these pictures.

The Sycuan Golden Eagles Hotshots were one of the wildland fire crews battling the gigantic wildfire. The Sycuan fire crew completed two tours in the historic fire, July 23-August 1, and August 6-21.

Golden Eagles Hotshots crew hikes into the Los Padres Nat'l Forest fire as the Zaca fire burns over a California hill top, August 2007. Small puffs of white smoke are pictured in the middle of the hill indicating where the firemen shot balls of fire onto the hill in a back-fire operation. Photo: Sam Wilbanks

California wildland crews photos working on fire site in Los Padres National Forest, Zaca Two Incident.

Backfires set by the wildland crews begin to blaze and climb up the hill to the main fire. As the main fire reaches the top of the hill, its heat literally pulls the back fire towards itself and burns itself out. Photo: Sam Wilbanks

The back fire blazes up the mountain in hopes of using up all the fuel in the main fire's path. Photo: Sam Wilbanks

A Hotshot wildland firefighter fires a flare into the brush as part of a back-fire operation. Photo: Sam Wilbanks

LEADERSHIP: (l-r) Division Group Supervisor Sam Wilbanks, Sycuan Division Chief Ray Ruiz, Rincon Fire Captain Booker, and Ventura County Captain Cook pose for a picture.

Golden Eagles Capt. Juan Mendez pauses to look at the photographer while using a drip torch to set a back fire during the Zaca Incident in Los Padres Nat'l Forest, August 2007. Photo: Sam Wilbanks

Fireman's environmental portrait. Photo: John Warren

Firemen's dust devils or firewhirls rise above the flames during back-fire operations in the Los Padres National Forest. Photo: Sam Wilbanks

Backfire blazes in the background. Photo: Sam Wilbanks
The largest fire in the history of California is the 2003 CEDAR FIRE, San Diego County -- more than 273,000 acres burned and 15 people died in this historic California fire.
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