Out-of-state and outside-of-county aid keeps coming in as local fire personnel and resources are at capacity as three wildfires, the Palisades and Eatonfires, each spanning slightly more than 10,000 acres, rage in Los Angeles County on Wednesday.
During a press conference in the morning, Anthony Marrone, the chief of the Los Angeles County Fire Department, stated that all 29 county fire districts are in “a drawdown, with no fire apparatus or additional personnel to spare.”
In a similar vein, the Los Angeles Fire agency announced a “recall operation,” requesting that all off-duty crews declare their availability to help combat fires. This was the first time the agency had to use this procedure in 19 years.
Since the flames started Tuesday, when most of Los Angeles County was under a red flag warning, mutual aid has already been requested from the counties of Orange, Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo.
Crews from the Oakland, Hayward, Fremont, and Alameda County fire departments were dispatched to assist in battling the fires in LA County as part of California’s Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. Late Tuesday, Arizona also deployed a crew to help.
According to Marrone, assistance from outside the state has also been requested. During a news conference on Wednesday morning, he expressed gratitude to the first responders from Nevada, Oregon, and Washington State who are already traveling to L.A. County to help.
The strong winds on Tuesday night and throughout the morning hindered firefighting efforts.
“All aircraft were grounded last night as of 1930 hours (7:30 p.m.) due to high winds,” stated Kristin Crowley, chief of the Los Angeles Fire Department. “Aircraft will be able to continue to resume their water drops and acreage mapping today, when the weather allows us to do so.”
Around 7 a.m. on Wednesday, LAFD said that aircraft had resumed spraying water and fire retardant on the Palisades Fire.
The Hurst Fire near Sylmar is the third wildfire burning; as of Wednesday afternoon, it had spread to 505 acres and was completely uncontained.
“Los Angeles County firefighters will remain on the front lines until we reach full containment, and we ask that you keep Los Angeles County in your thoughts and prayers,” Marrone stated.
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