First check in with Utah firefighters helping in California wildfires
Jan 10, 2025, 9:51 PM | Updated: 10:23 pm
SALT LAKE CITY — We’re getting our first check-in from Utah firefighters who drove to California to help crews battle the state’s deadly wildfires.
They learned Friday night that they’re being assigned to fight the Palisades Fire, the largest of the five fires burning around Los Angeles. Based on where they’re traveling from, Beaumont, California, they’re expected to arrive at the fire scene between 8:00 and 9:00 p.m. MST.
Before the assignment, more than 60 firefighters left Utah Thursday to help battle the flames in California. They shared photos and videos along their 12-hour trek, arriving Thursday night just east of L.A.
Dozens of Utah firefighters prepare to help fight California fires
KSL TV spoke with them on Zoom Friday night, just minutes before they received their assignment to fight the Palisades Fire.
“We’re ready to go, we want to get moving, we want to get doing this,” said Kelly Bird, Unified Fire Authority firefighter.
The delay was caused by the large number of firefighters arriving from other states, and California fire crews were confirming who was going where.
“California is working through to make sure we get to the right spot. We can’t just show up and start doing things that would create even more chaos,” Bird said.
It’s unclear what roles Utah firefighters will play right now. They said the trucks they brought with them could handle mountain terrain, and they anticipate working the hillsides against the evacuated or destroyed neighborhoods.
So far, the information from Utah firefighters is limited, but they said they plan to do these check-ins each day while they battle the fires in California over the next two weeks.
