The U.S. Defense Department is deploying additional resources to assist California as wildfires continue to devastate the Los Angeles area and other parts of southern California.
The Pentagon announced on Wednesday the deployment of 10 Navy helicopters equipped with water buckets to help firefighters combat the blazes.
The fires, which began on Tuesday, quickly spread across thousands of acres, affecting multiple areas, including Pacific Palisades, Pasadena, and coastal regions. Named the Eaton, Palisades, Hurst, Tyler, and Woodley Fires, they have triggered evacuations and caused widespread destruction to homes and businesses.
Please pray for us fear our home is gone #californiafire pic.twitter.com/KVZo6EZbBj
— Leslie Marshall (@LeslieMarshall) January 8, 2025
The winds in the California fires are ridiculous pic.twitter.com/kZAi2ELCqY
— One Bad Dude (@OneBadDude_) January 9, 2025
The cause of the fires are still under investigation but according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the strong Santa Ana winds are likely fueling their rapid spread.
According to reports, fire crews battling the Palisades Fire faced significant setbacks due to water supply issues.
1.8.2025 this is Pacific Palisades today. This looks like a war happened and the air is making my nose bleed. The city is trying to ban us from filming this footage & people who lost their house are not allowed to go home…#emergency#palisadesfire pic.twitter.com/zzucDU03Lp
— Corinne Cliford 🇺🇸 (@corinnecliford) January 9, 2025
By early Wednesday morning, water storage tanks in the area ran dry after 15 hours of demand that exceeded normal levels by four times, according to Janisse Quiñones, Chief Executive and Chief Engineer of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.
Pentagon Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said the president has already directed the defense department to bolster whatever California needs. She also added that the Pentagon is working closely with state officials to coordinate the response.
President Joe Biden visited California on Wednesday and met with state firefighters.
