California is readying to deploy state firefighting resources in Los Angeles County ahead of high heat and potential fire weather thatโs expected to impact the area this week. Gov. Gavin Newsom has directed the California Office of Emergency Services to pre-deploy crews throughout Los Angeles County, after the National Weather Service warned of a โdangerous heatwaveโ Wednesday through Saturday.
โExtreme summer weather is returning to California this week. Now is the time to check the forecasts for your area and prepare for higher temperatures and dangerous fire weather,โ Newsom said in a news release. โWhile the best thing we can all do is prepare now, the state is also pre-deploying resources to protect communities from catastrophic wildfire.โ
A total of 10 fire engines, two water tenders, two bulldozers and one helicopter are pre-deployed in the L.A. area, alongside two hand crews, three additional dispatchers and an incident management team. Staging these additional fire resources allow for the quicker response to potential fire impacts, and state officials say itโs proven to be a critical tool in its wildfire response strategy to protect lives and preserve property. By pre-positioning firefighting crews, equipment, and other resources in high-risk areas, we can respond faster and more effectively when needed,โ Cal OES Director Nancy Ward said.
