Gov. Josh Shapiro sent two crews of Pennsylvania wildland firefighters to aid in the fight against the devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles area.
As President Donald Trump reiterated Friday that he wants to extract concessions from Democratic-led California in return for disaster assistance, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro announced that Pennsylvania is sending 40 skilled wildland firefighters to help combat the devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles area.
The two crews departed Friday and are expected to arrive in California on Monday. They will work and live together for the duration of their 14-day deployment.
In addition to the deployed crews, Pennsylvania already has a trained liaison on the ground in Los Angeles, facilitating coordination between the U.S. Forest Service and East Coast fire crews.
“Our firefighters stand ready to meet the challenge of protecting lives, homes, and natural resources,” said Cindy Adams Dunn, Pa. Department of Conservation and Natural Resources secretary, in a news release. “Pennsylvania’s wildland firefighters are among the best in the nation, rigorously trained to national standards and widely respected for their expertise in wildfire management. We are proud to contribute our skills and resources to support California’s communities during this critical time.”
