Last month’s fires that ravaged parts of Northern California burned more than 170,000 acres and destroyed thousands of homes and businesses while claiming the lives of 43 people. Firefighters from several states were called in to help battle more than a dozen separate fires, including a crew from the Sedona Fire District. Battalion Chief Dave Cochrane, engineers Jamey Kreun and Jeff Scalf, and firefighter Marc Howard left for the fires on Oct. 11 and returned Oct. 23. While there, they were based near Napa. “Fire conditions when we arrived had moderated somewhat from what most people saw on TV,” Cochrane said. “Having said that, most of the fire line had not been secured, homes were still threatened, and the fire was active.