As wildfires raged in California in January, firefighters across Colorado — and the world — answered the call for help. This included Grand Fire Protection District No. 1 and Grand Lake Fire Protection District.

The two fire protection districts often work together through a joint division, led by division chief of special operations Tyler Campbell. As the fires were contained, the teams returned from California and Campbell shared the experience with Sky-Hi News.

Strike teams fight against Los Angeles fires

Grand County firefighters landed in Beaumont, California, in mid-January and headed to fight the Palisades Fire in Los Angeles County.

Five firefighters from Grand Lake Fire and four from Grand Fire joined Strike Team 2 to contain the fires. Campbell led Strike Team 7, which included Thornton Fire Department, North Metro Fire Rescue District, Denver Fire Department, Windsor Severance Fire Rescue, West Metro Fire Rescue and Westminster Fire Department. As team leader, Campbell supervised a group of firefighters with type 6 fire engines, which are heavy-duty pickup trucks with pumps and a little water.

Campbell brought one type 6 engine to California, and Grand Fire brought its Engine 342. In total, the state of Colorado sent nine strike teams, including a strike team leader, with five fire engines each.

“There were firefighters from all over the country and parts of the world working alongside one another in Cali,” Campbell recounted. “I worked with crews from Texas, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Mexico. I was told Canada, Israel, and South Africa also sent some folks, but never got the chance to interact with them.”

The crews were gone for roughly two weeks before returning home, Campbell said. Engine 342 will likely retire now after this trip to California and Grand Fire is expecting a replacement type 3 Engine 344, after nearly four years on order.

Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control organizes response to California wildfires

When wildfires grow out of control, states call on other regions for assistance. The Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control helped organize the response to California, which was battling three major fires in the L.A. area: the Palisades, Eaton and Hughes fires. The Division of Fire Prevention also brought their own personnel and a multi-mission aircraft.

Colorado sent “the largest statewide wildfire mobilization ever to another region,” according to a Facebook post by the division.

Those three fires are now contained but burned around 48,000 acres before firefighters put them out. During this nationwide response, several other, smaller fires were burning across California.

Grand Fire Chief Brad White added that Grand County itself has received statewide assistance during the Williams Fork, Spring Creek and East Troublesome fires. As the Los Angeles fires burned, it was Grand County’s firefighters’ time to return the favor.  

The division states that Colorado firefighters “remain committed to supporting our partners and neighbors in times of need, exemplifying the spirit of collaboration and mutual aid that is fundamental to wildfire response across the West.”