North Sound News

Local firefighters heading to Southern California wildfires

MONROE, Wash. — Shifting winds are causing multiple wildfires to spread in Southern California Friday.

More than 500 homes and other structures were destroyed across the Southern California region.

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Smoky conditions have forced hundreds of schools to close and 200,000 people are under evacuation orders.

Nearly 6,000 firefighters are battling six major fires stretching from Los Angeles to the San Diego area.

Crews from Snohomish County are also headed to help fight the fires.

The engines at Snohomish County Fire District 7 are getting a final scrub down before firefighters get dirty. %

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A group of nine firefighters from Fire District 7 will travel nearly 1,200 miles south to Chino, California, to fight wildfires ravaging land near there.

“It looks hot. It looks pretty hot and windy down there. It takes a day to get down there, so we'll see, but it looks like it's going pretty good and making headway,” said Fire District 7 firefighter Bryan Kerr.

Along with the nine firefighters, the firehouse is sending two engines and an SUV and will meet up with a larger force from the area, including groups from Gold Bar, Getchel, the San Juan Islands and Skagit County.

The group is experienced and have fought wildland fires before.

“We've been busy this last summer, going to Eastern Washington, Idaho, Oregon and we were in Northern California earlier this year as well,” said Heather Chadwick with Fire District 7.

Based on the equipment call they received, they believe they'll either be on the front lines or protecting houses.

It's a 16-day deployment, two days for travel there and back and 14 days on the lines.  It could be extended depending on how the job goes, but they'd like to be back before that happens.

“I've got a little daughter at home, it'll be our first Christmas together, so hopefully, we come back before Christmas,” said Bryan Kerr with Fire District 7.

The crews have a long trek ahead of them. They're planning on being in Southern California by Saturday afternoon