COLUMBUS The devastation in the greater Los Angeles area due to massive wildfires has left thousands displaced and entire communities destroyed. As the fires continue to rage across California, fire departments across Montana, including Columbus and Red Lodge, are making the 1,200-mile journey to help.In total, 10 fire engines and nearly 40 firefighters from departments across MontanaColumbus, Red Lodge, Missoula, Big Sky, Central Valley, Big Fork, Corvallis, Whitefish, Plains, Paradise, and Butteare heading to California to support local efforts. They are expected to be there for 14 days but this could be extended due to the severity of the fires. "Nobody really can comprehend that you're losing whole communities like that, said Chief Rich Cowger of Columbus Fire Rescue. The emergency response was sent through an Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) request, a nationwide mutual aid system that helps coordinate resources during large-scale disasters to dispatch equipment. The actual EMAC request came through on Friday morning," said Cowger. We did this in 24 hours and they're going to be on the road. That's pretty quick.On Saturday morning, crews from the Red Lodge and Columbus fire departments gathered at the Columbus Fire Rescue station before departing after 9 a.m. for the two-day journey. Members included Lt. Colton Cowger, Connor Hunter, and Jonathan Burke from Columbus, and Captain Will Bernard, Dustin Hergenraeder, Lt. Katy Hedtke, and Jason Burr from Red Lodge, along with DNRC employee Noah Wilson. If there's a need, we're more than welcome to hop on up and get going," said Hunter. While the Montana fire crews are no strangers to battling wildfires out of state, having previously assisted in California, Idaho, and Pennsylvania last year, these fires have presented unique challenges.It's the perfect storm. I know (the various California fire departments) would have upstaffed for that event, but when you've got 100-mile-an-hour winds and the drought that they got, the conditions they got, there's just no realistic way that you're going to combat that situation," said Cowger. Despite the unpredictable nature of the fires and the uncertainty of the assignment until they arrive, the firefighters remain committed to the mission.We'll see what we do when we get down there and see what they need us to do and help out whatever way we can," said Lt. Cowger. This particular case is going to be a little bit different. It's something that not a lot of us are very used to. I don't think anybody's really used to this, so it's going be kind of a learning curve, but we're excited to see what we can help out with.Even though the conditions in California may be unlike those found in Montana, Chief Cowger emphasized that wildfires are unpredictable and can happen anywhere. High winds and dry summers could create similar catastrophic events. Don't think this can't happen here," said Cowger. "We always think, 'Well, that happens somewhere else,' and the reality is it's in today's day and age, it can happen anywhere. With the added assistance to California, the department hopes that the help will one day return. Firefighters in both areas usually give and take information and tips from each other on how to fight future fires, benefiting their communities back home in the long run. "Hopefully we don't have to ask for it, but if we need it, we know they're going to be there to come back and help us," said Cowger. "Our folks are bringing back experience from those other places that help us out here, so it's a win-win situation. For the firefighters, stepping up to help others in times of crisis is not just part of the job but a responsibility they carry with pride.Just happy to help," said Lt. Cowger. "It gives a lot of us a lot of pride to be able to help out where we can, wherever we can."