Written by Alan Devall
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – A contingent of 72 Mexican firefighters received a briefing from U.S. fire officials on Monday alongside their American counterparts before heading out to help fight wildfires sweeping through Southern California.
The group consists of military specialists, including doctors, engineers and search and rescue personnel, as well as a group of firefighters from the equivalent of the US Forest Service in Mexico.
Major wildfires raging in the Los Angeles area since Tuesday have claimed at least two dozen lives and burned an area the size of Washington, D.C. More than 90,000 residents were forced to flee their homes and entire neighborhoods were destroyed. Burnt.
The Mexican team will join firefighters from seven states and Canada to try to control the fire.
“They are now assigned a firefighting mission where they will be working on the fire line, essentially serving as a hand crew,” said Edwin Zuniga, public information officer for Cal Fire. “So build a containment line, a reinforced containment line, and engage the fire directly if necessary.”
According to Zuniga, the duration of the Mexican firefighters' deployment is uncertain. It could be one or three weeks.
“We have a special team, so we're here to help, to bring help to the people, to give them the best we can,” said firefighter Ivan Lorenzo Garcia of the Mexican Army's Emergency Response Battalion.
Laura Velasquez Alzoa, National Coordinator for Civil Protection in Mexico, spoke about the importance of international cooperation.
“We have instructions from the President of Mexico, Dr. Claudia Sheinbaum, to come, assist and contribute with the expertise and knowledge of 72 firefighting specialists,” she said.
Velasquez Alzoa called it a “very important” moment for the firefighters.
She added: “We are certain that Mexico is a supportive people, a people that strengthens the bonds of brotherhood with the people of the United States.”
