Manzanar Fire Department

Photo of a practice fire drill by WRA photographer Francis Stewart, 2/15/1943

Francis Stewart

Quick Facts

Location:

north of visitor center

Amenities

1 listed

Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits

“The buildings were constructed for temporary use only, of wood throughout. The sides were covered with tar paper . . . Needless to say they were one of the greatest fire hazards possible.”
Joseph Fine, Fire Protection Officer

Fire poses a danger wherever people live, but Manzanar’s wood and tar paper buildings were especially prone to disaster. “The buildings within the blocks were too close together,” wrote Joseph Fine, Fire Protection Officer. “During high wind, fire could have raced out of control.”

Manzanar’s layout was, in part, a fire prevention measure. The US Army separated groups of buildings with open areas called firebreaks. Keenly aware of the threat of fire, incarcerated Japanese Americans worked alongside government staff in developing a fire protection system.

In April 1942, people had only garden hoses, water buckets, shovels, and one borrowed truck to fight fire. Soon the Army Corps of Engineers installed fire hydrants and provided hoses and nozzles. By August, each barracks had a fire extinguisher, installed by the staff of the Manzanar Fire Department.

Japanese American firemen received a salary of $16 per month, while fire chiefs made $19. Most had no experience, but a report noted, “They were eager to learn and developed into good firemen.”

Engineer Fred Nagai recalled, “We used to have fire drills once a week or twice a week and polish the fire truck. And the rest of the time you just laid around . . . play cards . . . That was the easiest job.” Yet over the course of three years, Manzanar’s fire personnel responded to nearly 100 fires.

Manzanar’s largest fire occurred in the warehouse section on July 28, 1944. All paid and volunteer firemen reported to work. A strong south wind drove flames toward Block 4 as people rushed to wet down the roofs of their barracks and other nearby buildings. The fire destroyed warehouses 33, 34, and 35.