Oregon teams sent to battle fire north of San Diego
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- Two Oregon strike teams are headed to San Diego County to help fight the Lilac Fire.
According to the Oregon State Fire Marshall, two crews, Strike Team 17 from Linn County and Strike Team 18 from Clackamas County were assigned to fight the Lilac Fire near Bonsall.
The two teams are part of the 21 total teams that were sent to California earlier in January.
The strike teams were sent out early Tuesday morning to help battle the fire which prompted evacuations for people living nearby.
"These two strike teams were mobilized at 3 a.m. and quickly engaged with the fire to support the initial attack," Oregon State Fire Marshal Ruiz-Temple said. "They are working seamlessly with our CAL FIRE partners as we carry out our shared mission of protecting lives and property."
Currently, 370 Oregon firefighters are helping to battle the historic wildfires throughout Southern California, the largest out-of-state deployment for the agency.
"Firefighters from across the country are working around the clock to support these communities," Ruiz-Temple said. "I thank them, their communities, and their families who support their efforts during this deployment. The ability to share resources across state lines ensures states have the extra capacity needed during critical times."