Alberta Firefighters Assist in Battling California Wildfires

Alberta’s firefighters are playing a crucial role in combating two major wildfires in California. A team of 40 highly trained Type-1 wildland firefighters, including one Fort McMurray resident, has been deployed to assist in the firestorm and split into two units—Alberta One and Alberta Two.

Alberta One is tackling the Lilac Fire, located north of San Diego. This blaze, covering approximately 35 hectares, has exhibited intense fire behaviour due to high winds, prompting additional evacuation orders in the area. Despite these challenges, the Alberta crew, alongside their American counterparts, have managed to contain about 35 per cent of the fire.

Meanwhile, Alberta Two is working on the larger Eaton Fire in Los Angeles County, which spans over 5,500 hectares. Crews report that the fire is now nearly 90 per cent contained, but strong winds, reaching speeds of up to 100 kilometres per hour, pose an ongoing threat to the fire line. Fire crews are focused on extinguishing hotspots while other units remain on standby to address potential flare-ups or breaches.

The efforts of Alberta’s crews are continuing to make an impact as they support local teams in their battle against the devastating wildfires.