The Southern California Geographic Area Coordination Center (SCGACC) , established in 1972, provides logistical support and intelligence for wildfires in Southern California; planning, situation monitoring, needs projections, and resource order processing are all handled from the center's Riverside location. The Center also provides logistical support for other non-fire disasters, including hurricanes, earthquakes, and floods.

PREDICTIVE SERVICES:

The Intelligence Section at Southern Operations gathers and analyzes intelligence data from large fires and disasters. The section collects resource information for incident allocation prioritizing. South Operations Intelligence also distributes daily situation reports and incident information.

The Interagency Fire Weather Warning Unit provides weather information for fire agencies, including on-site services for wildfire and prescribed burns. SCGACC handles resources for multiple agencies in Southern California, mobilizing the closest and most appropriate resource to an incident. Center staff analyze intelligence information on large fires and disasters and collect resource information for area prioritization. SCGACC also distributes daily situation reports and incident information. The Center coordinates wildland fire training at four centers, and maintains a fire training library.

The Logistics Support Center in Ontario houses the Fire Cache, which provides equipment and supplies for the Coordination Center. The Fire Cache supports eight national forests, several large county cooperators, and all Pacific Rim areas. The Cache is part of the Interagency National Fire Equipment System and provides support during emergency operations.

The MAC Group (Multi-Agency Coordination) cooperators include the USDA Forest Service, the U.S. Department of Interior, National Weather Service, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, California Governor's Office of Emergency Services, Kern County, Santa Barbara County, Ventura County, Los Angeles County, Orange County, and the City of Los Angeles.

The Southern Operations Emergency Command Center is a cooperative organization that handles resource distribution for All-Risk Management Incidents. Personnel handle all requests for aircraft, crews, overhead, and equipment; they process dispatch records, contact unit dispatchers for resources to fill orders, and handle all incoming telephone and fax communications. An expanded dispatch center processes extended attack or long-term incidents.

The South Zone Training Unit provides a full curriculum of courses of the Incident Command System for students from all cooperating agencies. Dozens of classes are offered each fall and winter at the facility. Instructors and students come from all cooperating agencies.