Missoula Firefighters Head to California to Battle ‘Apocalyptic’ Wildfires

Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - Immediately after the news about the devastating fires in southern California that destroyed thousands of homes, Missoula Fire Chief Gordy Hughes dispatched crews to the area.

Hughes called the fires ‘apocalyptic’ in their destructive power.

Missoula Fire Chief Sends Truck and Crew to Help Fight Fires in California

“The California area, as everyone well knows, is experiencing an apocalyptic type fire event down there, with the drought situation there under and the weather patterns of no relief with moisture and the high winds that they're experiencing that are quite typical this time of year that region,” began Chief Hughes.

Hughes said the trucks and crews are currently en route to California.

Chief Hughes Said the Missoula Crew is En Route to California

“We had sent a crew yesterday on a type three fire engine, which is an engine that is both suited for structure response and wildland urban interface fire and that engine, along with four crew members with another engine from the Missoula Rural Fire District left town yesterday to assist in the efforts in the LA County area,” he said.

Hughes said the Missoula crew will be assigned where they are needed most when they arrive in California.

"They haven't been assigned yet, from what I'm told, to a specific fire in that region," Hughes said. "But they will be there for backup support, for initial attack on any new fires. If they do have an opportunity to place those resources on a current fire, they will do so after they arrive."

Hughes said he and Missoula Rural Fire had already dispatched a truck to the area due to the extreme danger that southern California has been experiencing.

Missoula Rural Fire Also Sent a Truck and Crew to California

“I should mention that we've had a wildland engine down there assisting since the latter part of this fall, even with multiple crew swaps, because their fire conditions are grave and they're in desperate need of some moisture released to COVID as fires,” he said.

Hughes said the Missoula area was fortunate that there were no new fires that occurred during our own wind event of July 24.