Arizona fire crews head to Southern California to aid in fire fighting efforts

PHOENIX — The scenes playing out in southern California are ones Arizonans are very familiar with. Still, the images out of California are terrifying. Four wildfires spread rapidly, destroying everything in their paths.

“It’s an absolute hellscape,” Jim Paxon said. “People who have not experienced this, and suffered through the effects of a wildfire, it’s inconceivable and unimaginable how fast fire spreads and how intense the flames are.”

Paxon, a former firefighter and spokesperson, has a long history with wildfires, including one of Arizona’s most notable ones.

“It brings back a lot of memories,” he said. “Of course, the Rodeo-Chediski Fire in 2002, burned almost half a million acres. We saw the most extreme fire behavior that any of us old fire dawgs had witnessed.”

The fires now burning in southern California are proving to be just as devastating. More than a thousand structures burned, tens of thousands evacuated, and reports of deaths started to filter in. The Palisades Fire, burning near Malibu and Santa Monica, is now said to be the most destructive to ever occur in Los Angeles county.

Arizona firefighters are heading west to aid in the fight. The Phoenix Fire Department is preparing for the activation of the Arizona Task Force 1 and the Department of Forestry and Fire Management has also sent fire crews to California. 

“The fire behavior right now in California is so extreme with these 60-100mph winds, it’s inconceivable how fast the rate of spread is,” Paxon said.

Paxon said the primary objective firefighters have right now is saving lives.

“When you go into these things you go in facing a risk, but your primary objective is keeping people safe and fellow firefighters safe,” he said. 

It’s an uphill battle for fire crews. The gusty winds, terrain, and close proximity of homes only add fuel to the fire. 

“It’s a fire-prone landscape,” he said. “If man were not there, these fields would burn every 10-20 years and clear off and start over, it’s brush not forest. Until the wind dies down, and they’re looking at Friday night or Saturday, they’re not going to get control of this fire. It’s going to burn down to the shore of the Pacific Ocean but then it’ll spread and they can’t put firefighters in the path of those blow torch fires that are so out of control, it would vaporize firefighters even in protective gear.”

With no end in sight, there’s fear the destruction will only get worse.

“It’s a tribute to the firefighters and the incident management teams and, in their planning, so few have been seriously injured,” he said. “I’m afraid though, especially once they start clearing and doing mop up when the winds do lay, they’ll find folks who couldn’t get out.”

Still, he understands how these fire crews are committed to fighting until the end, no matter how long it takes.

“It’s a struggle,” he said. “Their courage and commitment are so commendable, they’re selfless public servants who try to serve man and woman and protect life first and property second.”

You can now watch 12News content anytime, anywhere thanks to the 12News+ app! 

The free 12News+ app from 12News lets users stream live events — including daily newscasts like “Today in AZ” and “12 News” and our daily lifestyle program, “Arizona Midday”—on Roku and Amazon Fire TV. 

12News+  showcases live video throughout the day for breaking news, local news, weather and even an occasional moment of Zen showcasing breathtaking sights from across Arizona. 

Users can also watch on-demand videos of top stories, local politics, I-Team investigations, Arizona-specific features and vintage videos from the 12News archives. 

Roku: Add the channel from the Roku store or by searching for “12 News KPNX.” 

Amazon Fire TV: Search for “12 News KPNX” to find the free 12News+ app to add to your account, or have the 12News+ app delivered directly to your Amazon Fire TV through Amazon.com or the Amazon app. 

Catch up on the latest news and stories on the 12News YouTube channel. Subscribe today.