Fire Department Responds to Southland Emergencies

Glendale fire officials sent 42 firefighters, eight engines, one truck and a 1,500-gallon water tanker to battle Wednesday’s devastating Altadena area blaze, which destroyed or damaged dozens of homes.

On Tuesday night, the Fire Department sent eight firefighters and two engine companies to the Thousand Oaks blaze in Ventura County, which burned to the Pacific on Wednesday after also destroying or damaging many structures, Glendale Fire Battalion Chief Mike Carter said.

“We’re maxed out” in providing help to other fire agencies throughout Southern California, Carter said.

The department has 150 firefighters. Although 50 have left to assist outside agencies, the department has kept another 21 firefighters Wednesday to cover four of the city’s nine stations.

“We have partially activated our emergency operations center,” he said. “We’re watching this (Altadena) fire to make sure we’re aware of what it’s doing. There is some excitement, but they’re trying to get their job done.”

As of Wednesday, no injuries had been reported among the Glendale firefighters. None was sent to battle flames in fires that raged in Orange or San Bernardino counties.

Glendale police reported sending two patrol cars containing two to four officers to La Crescenta and La Canada to help staff the La Crescenta Sheriff’s Station. The Sheriff’s Department requested the assistance because deputies were helping firefighters patrol streets around Altadena.