A group of Colorado firefighters has deployed to California to join an interagency effort to battle several wildfires currently ravaging the southern part of the state.

At least five fires, covering more than 45 square miles in the greater Los Angeles area, have killed at least five people, destroyed at least 10,000 structures, and forced nearly 180,000 people from their homes, according to multiple reports.

As California crews work to get these blazes under control, the state’s emergency management agencies have requested aid from several other states, including Colorado. According to the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control, engines and crews from Castle Rock, Four Mile, Stratmoor Hills, Hartsel, and Southern Arkansas fire departments were deployed to California on Wednesday.

In a post on social media site X, the Colorado Springs Fire Department said it had firefighters and equipment at the ready in case they were called upon.

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“Our hearts and prayers are with our brothers and sisters on the front lines of these fires and for all CA residents impacted by this scary situation. Please keep them in your prayers as we watch this tragic situation continue to unfold,” the post reads.

The state fire agency also sent a multi-mission aircraft that doesn’t fight fires, but flies above the blaze to provide critical information to the firefighters on the ground.

The aid request was made through the Interagency Resource Ordering Capability, or IROC, a web-based application used to request assistance for all hazard incidents, including fires, according to DFPC spokesperson Tracy LeClair.

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“When California placed their requests through IROC, they reached out to the closest available resources first,” LeClair said. “The first orders went out within the state. From there, they gradually work their way out. By the time they got to Colorado, they only needed five.”

Firefighting agencies typically engage in interstate mutual-aid efforts for large-scale hazard incidents. Out-of-state firefighters, including crews from Oregon and Montana, assisted with the 2020 Cameron Peak blaze, the largest wildfire in Colorado history. In July, several firefighters, including two from Colorado Springs, deployed to Oregon to help their crews fight wildland blazes.

“There are 39 additional Colorado engines available to be dispatched if needed,” LeClair said. “We don’t know if there will be any more requests. If a closer state — like Nevada, for instance — has resources available, they will get a request before we do.”

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