100 Firefighters From Mexico Arrive In San Bernardino To Help Battle California Wildfires
SAN BERNARDINO (CBSLA) — Firefighters from Mexico have come to help battle the numerous wildfires burning up and down the West Coast.
Firefighters from the Comisión Nacional Forestal, or CONAFOR, were welcomed by U.S. Forest Service officials at San Bernardino International Airport, where they exchanged greetings and gifts Wednesday. Five crews with a total of 100 firefighters from Guadalajara, Mexico answered the call for help from the National Interagency Fire Center.
"It's really an honor to have them at our request through the National Interagency Fire Center," Deputy Regional Forester Tony Scardina said in a video posted on Twitter. "We're able to have them through our partnership come work with us, and help us with the unprecedented fire situation. We're proud to have them here."
The Mexican firefighters will be mobilized to work on the Sequoia Complex Fire in Northern California. The Sequoia Complex Fire has been burning since mid-August and has destroyed 145,000 acres, according to Inciweb.
Fire suppression resources from several Canadian provinces, totaling 291 fire specialists, were also deployed to western wildfires last weekend.