By GARRET JAROS/YachatsNews
WALDPORT – Two Central Oregon Coast Fire & Rescue firefighters deployed Wednesday to help fight wildfires in Southern California.
Central Coast firefighters John Townley and Shi Bucher are driving the district’s Type 3 brush truck, known as the workhorse of wildland firefighting, to the scene of wildfires that have engulfed thousands of acres, destroyed thousands of homes and businesses and killed five people in Los Angeles County.
Townley and Bucher rendezvoused with other firefighters and apparatus from North Lincoln Fire & Rescue, Depoe Bay, Newport and Tillamook County Fire in Gleneden Beach at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday before continuing in convoy for Interstate 5 via Newport.
“Things are moving quickly,” COCF&R chief Jamie Mason said Wednesday morning. “It is a combined strike team. It’s a pretty big deployment. There are resources going from all across the state.”
The Oregon State Fire Marshal initially mobilized 12 strike teams with 240 firefighters and 60 engines to California after receiving a request for assistance late Tuesday from California officials, according to a news release. By Wednesday evening, the agency added three more teams bringing the total to 300 firefighters and 75 engines.
“The agency will continue to monitor and will fill more requests as it progresses,” the announcement said.
In addition to crews from Lincoln County, the strike teams are coming from Benton, Clackamas, Clatsop, Columbia, Douglas, Lane, Linn, Polk, Marion, Multnomah, Washington, and Yamhill counties, and from central Oregon and the Rogue Valley.
“Oregon and California have a strong partnership supporting each other,” said Oregon State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple. “We both understand that fire does not recognize map lines, and we are ready to help each other whenever there is a need. During our historic 2024 wildfire season, California sent us help and in their time of need, we are working as fast as possible to lend them support during this emergency.”
The request from California came through the Oregon Department of Emergency Management and the Emergency Management Assistance Compact. The compact provides help during governor-declared emergencies or disasters by allowing states to send personnel, equipment, and supplies to support response and recovery efforts in other states. The strike teams will be reimbursed directly by California.
Mason said the six units from Lincoln and Tillamook counties will convoy together to southern California. “… they are only going to go as fast as the slowest unit,” he said. “And it’s like a 15-hour trek just to get down there.”
The firefighters will drive non-stop to reach the scene of the four fires in Los Angeles County and now one in Ventura County.
Three of the wildfires in Los Angeles County – Eaton, Palisades and Hurst, started Tuesday, according to Cal Fire. A fourth – the Woodley Fire started Wednesday. The Olivas Fire in Ventura County also started Wednesday. None of the fires are contained. All of them started in dry grass and brush country and are being fanned by heavy winds that are expected to continue through Thursday.
Firefighters are seeing extreme fire behavior, including short and long-range spotting, according to Cal Fire.
The National Weather Service since yesterday reported winds up to 100 mph in the Santa Monica Mountains – a few miles west of the Palisades fire; 86 mph in the Malibu Hills; 84 mph at the Hollywood Burbank Airport and 49 mph in Pasadena.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom deployed the California National Guard to assist with the response. Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said today the 29 fire departments across the county were prepared for one or two brush fires, but that it does not have enough personnel to handle this many.
It is estimated the Palisades Fire alone has destroyed 1,000 homes and businesses.
- Garret Jaros is YachatsNews’ full-time reporter and can be reached atGJaros@YachatsNews.com
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