AURORA, Colo. — More Colorado fires crews are headed to the Los Angeles area wildfires after receiving a request for help on Friday.
More than 150,000 people in the densely populated Los Angeles area remain under evacuation order for the wildfires, which have destroyed more than 10,000 structures and killed 10 people, according to the Associated Press. AccuWeather, a private firm that provides weather data, estimated the financial impact to be between $135 billion and $150 billion, the AP reported.
Around the country, fire departments are standing by for the call to help. Previously, Denver7 reported that the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control as well as the Castle Rock Fire and Rescue Department have already sent crews and resources.
Since then, several other departments have joined that list, including Aurora Fire Rescue, Boulder Fire-Rescue, Mountain View Fire, NE Teller County Fire Protection District, Colorado Springs Fire Department and Grand Junction Fire Department.
Aurora said it will deploy a Type 3 brush engine — Aurora Fire Brush Engine 13 — and a crew, who are set to leave shortly after 1 p.m. Brush Engine 13 has been used in a slew of other emergencies, which have included the Quarry Fire in Jefferson County last summer and pulling ambulances out of snow during a storm in March 2024.
The Colorado Springs Fire Department, NE Teller County Fire Protection District and Boulder Fire-Rescue are sending a Type 3 engine along with firefighters.
The Grand Junction department said its crew will leave Friday afternoon as well.
Paul Ostroy, fire management officer with the Mountain View Fire Rescue, said his team is headed to California and is ready to help with mopping up, evacuations or whatever else is needed.
"It's an uphill battle that we will continuously fight, and can only hope that the collaboration efforts — working together make that effort something that we can walk away from and be happy with an end result," he said.
Ostroy said firefighters are ready to jump on any opportunity to help communities are in need.
"It's part of our job, and we feel the need to want to step up to help," he said.
As of 12:30 p.m. local time, here's where containment stands for the California fires:
- Palisades: 8%
- Eaton: 3%
- Kenneth: 35%
- Hurst: 37%
- Lidia: 75%
Click here for the latest emergency information on the fires.
Below is the latest update on the LA-area wildfires.
Denver7 will speak with the Aurora crew this afternoon. Check back for updates.