California is moving firefighting resources to Southern California ahead of dangerous Santa Ana winds and critical fire weather. Governor Gavin Newsom has directed CAL FIRE and Cal OES to preposition additional resources and enhance emergency readiness to support local firefighters and strengthen state coordination.
Strong winds, low humidity, and dry vegetation are expected to raise wildfire danger across portions of Southern California in the coming days. Positioning resources in advance is intended to give local fire departments additional support when fires start.
CAL FIRE is increasing staffing and positioning engine strike teams across Southern California to reinforce crews in the affected region. Cal OES is simultaneously positioning additional firefighters, aircraft, and equipment in Orange, Ventura, Los Angeles, and Santa Barbara counties. The deployments begin Thursday, October 15 and remain in place through Sunday, October 18, with local fire officials determining specific staging locations based on expected conditions.
In a separate action, California State Parks and partner agencies announced a new coordinated protocol for closing parklands during Red Flag warnings in the Santa Monica Mountains. The protocol is designed to prevent accidental fire ignitions and reduce the number of people who might need to evacuate if a fire starts.
Utility providers may initiate Public Safety Power Shutoffs in portions of coastal and inland Southern California, the Sierra Nevada, and Northern California to reduce the risk of wildfires caused by electrical infrastructure, the state said.
California's fire protection budget has nearly doubled since 2019, from $2 billion to $3.8 billion, with more than $2.5 billion of that invested in wildfire resilience and forest health projects, according to state officials.