NYS Forest Rangers joining Los Angeles wildfire battle
ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — A team of New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Forest Rangers are joining the efforts to battle the wildfires in Los Angeles, Governor Kathy Hochul announced. The 10 forest rangers flew out of Albany International Airport on Thursday morning.
“When other states and nations ask for New York’s help, we are always prepared to send assistance,” Governor Hochul said in a press release on Thursday. “New York’s expert wildland firefighting Forest Rangers were eager to answer the call and will do what they can to help in response to the extraordinary devastation in and around Los Angeles."
The assignment is expected to last for two weeks. New York State regularly sends highly trained wildland firefighters to help contain fires in other states and nations. All personnel and travel expenses for the New York teams are paid for, either directly or through reimbursement to the state, by the U.S. Forest Service.
As of Thursday afternoon, an estimated 25 people have been killed by the Los Angeles wildfires, which started on Jan. 7 and have been exacerbated by Santa Ana winds. The fires have also burned more than 40,000 acres and destroyed more than 12,000 structures.