Four Salem firefighters are among two local teams heading to southern California Wednesday to help fight wildfires threatening the Los Angeles area. It’s part of a statewide response that includes 12 strike teams comprised of 240 firefighters from across Oregon, the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office said Wednesday afternoon. The city is sending one engine company as part of a Marion County strike team that includes five engines and a leader.  “The situation in southern California is extremely serious, with numerous structures lost and lives threatened. Just as California resources came to Oregon this summer during our historic wildfire season, we are helping them in their time of need,” Fire Chief David Gerboth said in an email Wednesday morning. Three large fires in the Los Angeles area have forced over 80,000 people out of their homes since Tuesday morning. The Palisades fire started around 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, according to the state’s forestry department. The fire has reached almost 12,000 acres as of 11:45 a.m. Wednesday and was 0% contained. The Palisades fire started Tuesday morning in Los Angeles and reached almost 12,000 acres by late Wednesday morning. (California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection/Flickr) A total of 44 Marion County firefighters and 10 engines split between two teams are heading to the Los Angeles area. Fire districts and departments in Keizer, Woodburn, Jefferson, Stayton, Hubbard, Aumsville, Silverton and Mt. Angel are sending help, according to Jim Trierweiler, chief of the Marion County Fire Defense Board, which coordinates emergency requests for assistance. Salem firefighters heading to California are Captain Michael Stewart and engineers Zach Salvage, Michael Laatsch and Cody Welling, the department said. Keizer’s team is Captain Aaron Pittis, who will serve as an assistant strike team leader, as well as Lieutenant CJ Thorne, Engineer Casey Finnerty and firefighters Christopher Zammarelli and Brian Loan. A Marion County team including Salem firefighters deployed to southern California on Wednesday, Jan. 8, to help fight wildfires in the Los Angeles area. (Salem Fire Department) Four Keizer firefighters deployed to deployed to southern California on Wednesday, Jan. 8, as part of a Marion County team to help fight wildfires in the Los Angeles area. (Salem Fire Department) The teams are on the road and should arrive by noon Thursday.  “We don’t know exactly where we’re going yet,” Trierweiler said. Firefighters in California described extreme fire behavior on the ground, with wind gusts of 60 miles per hour expected through Thursday. Marion County teams were deployed over the summer to help fight several large wildfires in eastern Oregon, but Trierweiler said it’s been a few years since local firefighters went to California to assist. The teams are prepared for a two-week deployment, but it’s not known how long they’ll actually be in California, said Brian Carrara, assistant chief of business operations for the Salem Fire Department. The agency is reimbursed for the people it sends, and firefighters deployed are off-duty, so Salem will have the same number of firefighters working to respond to local emergencies. “Oregon and California have a strong partnership supporting each other. We both understand that fire does not recognize map lines, and we are ready to help each other whenever there is a need,” Oregon State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple said in a statement. “During our historic 2024 wildfire season, California sent us help and in their time of need, we are working as fast as possible to lend them support during this emergency.” Contact reporter Rachel Alexander: [email protected] or 503-575-1241. A MOMENT MORE, PLEASE– If you found this story useful, consider subscribing to Salem Reporter if you don’t already. Work such as this, done by local professionals, depends on community support from subscribers. Please take a moment and sign up now – easy and secure: SUBSCRIBE. The post Salem firefighters headed to Los Angeles area to help fight wildfires appeared first on Salem Reporter.