Colorado Springs firefighters share firsthand look at California destruction after first day of deployment

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (KRDO) – The Colorado Springs Fire Department is offering a firsthand look from the frontlines of the Palisades fire after their first day of deployment.

A four-person crew from CSFD departed for California on Jan. 10. They were first assigned to Zuma Beach in Malibu, where they worked alongside other fire crews from Colorado.

On Jan. 13, they shared an update from their first day of fighting the fires after working a 24-hour shift combatting the Palisades fire in the Brentwood area.

This is some of the destruction the crew saw on their way to Malibu:

CSFD is one of dozens of Colorado agencies that has sent personnel to California to assist with firefighting efforts after wildfires in the Los Angeles area destroyed thousands of homes and killed at least 24 people.

“We are heartbroken by the lives lost and touched by these fires, which remind us that fire can strike anytime and anywhere," Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said in a news release. "We are proud to step up and help the Southern California communities that are being impacted, and I am deeply appreciative of the women and men from state government and from local governments across Colorado who are lending a hand in California’s time of need."

The state Division of Fire Prevention and Control's multi-mission aircraft (MMA) was deployed to California on Jan. 8. The aircraft, with a pilot and two Mission Sensor Operators on board, is being used to gather intelligence to aid firefighting efforts on the ground.

Colorado also mobilized nine strike teams, consisting of around 50 engines and overhead personnel, to support California's firefighting efforts.

You can find a full list of Colorado crews and resources deployed to the state here.