As firefighting services spread throughout Los Angeles County, help from federal, state and foreign agencies is on the way, officials announced Wednesday.
The California National Guard and firefighters from Northern California and out of state are en route to Los Angeles, where resources and personnel are being taxed by several large fires burning.
“There are not enough firefighters in LA County to deal with four separate fires of this nature,” Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said during a news conference Wednesday morning. “This is not a typical red flag warning.”
Three fires — the Palisades, Eaton and Hurst fires — started Tuesday. The fourth, the Woodley fire, started Wednesday around 6:15 a.m. near the Sepulveda Basin.
Among the aid to Los Angeles were 200 employees of the California Guard, said Col. Brian Hill.
The crews were Cal Fire-trained manual workers, ready to assist in firefighting efforts, he said.
Hill said if the weather cooperates, 10 helicopters will be ready to begin making fire-fighting drops by Thursday.
The San Francisco Fire Department said on social media that X is sending 22 firefighters to the Palisades fire.
“We are always ready and available to assist our partner organizations in events like this,” the organization wrote in X.
The office of Gov. Gavin Newsom also announced in a statement that additional firefighters from Orange, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego and Cal Fire have been directed to Los Angeles, including additional engines. 45 and six manual workers.
Out-of-state services were expected, with firefighters and engines from Phoenix expected to make the trip to Los Angeles County.
Phoenix “has been called to help fight the devastating flames in Los Angeles,” Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego wrote in X. “We’re still learning the details of what’s required, and I expect our teams will be down in LA in the next few days.”
At the federal level, the Biden administration announced that five US Forest Service air tankers are already operating in Los Angeles, with another on the way. Ten helicopters had been sent to the area, and dozens of fire engines were being prepared for use if needed.
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