SDF-trained human remains detection (HRD) team Jon Munguia & Clifford of Los Angeles County Fire Department and live-find SDF-trained teams Josh Davis & Bosco and Garreth Miller & Reva of California Task Force 3 (CA-TF3), and Patrick Easton & Linus and Eric Lieuwen & Ridge of California Task Force 7 (CA-TF7) deployed to the Los Angeles fires along with their teammates to assist in the aftermaths of the blazes that devastated the region.
The first incident in this series of wildfires started around 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, January 7, in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles, with the Eaton fire in Altadena and the Hurst fire in Sylmar starting later that same day. In the days following, numerous other wildfires ignited all over Los Angeles County, aided by dry conditions and driven by high-speed and erratic winds.
With gusts reaching 100 mph in some areas, air support to combat the fires was severely limited or grounded altogether in the first crucial hours after the fires started, hindering firefighting efforts and allowing the blazes to spread rapidly. After the worst of the windstorm had passed, fire weather warnings remained in effect for Los Angeles County over the next several days, making containment more difficult.
Due to the size and ferocity of these fires, Los Angeles County asked for and received help from numerous other agencies across the state. At one point, according to the Governor’s office, approximately 7,500 state personnel were on the ground in Southern California, working with local and federal partners to respond to these historic wildfires. As the need for resources grew, additional personnel, equipment, and support continued to arrive from other states across the country.
Our hearts go out to all those affected by these devastating fires that swept through many parts of Los Angeles, destroying over 57,000 acres of land and more than 16,000 structures in total. The intensity, speed and destructiveness was unlike anything this area had ever seen, and we continue to keep everyone in our thoughts as communities begin to return and rebuild in the aftermaths of the fires.
After weeks of assisting rescue and recovery efforts in communities affected by the Los Angeles fires, the SDF-trained teams that responded to the fires—alongside hundreds of fellow emergency responders—have completed their missions and safely returned home.
We send our deepest gratitude to the first responders—both local and from all over the West Coast—who worked tirelessly around-the-clock to protect lives and homes from these fires, the dedicated personnel who continued to cover regular operations at fire stations throughout the cities, the teams on the ground who assisted recovery efforts, and to all who contributed their time, energy, and resources to helping all those affected. Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts.
MEET THE BOOTS AND PAWS ON THE GROUND FOR THE LOS ANGELES FIRES:
