When it comes to vegetation fires in The Golden State, few months keep responders as busy as November - and few locations offer as much challenge and heartache as the often volatile and rugged Santa Monica Mountains that originate in and bisect the City of Los Angeles before commencing a 46 mile westward journey through the Counties of Los Angeles and Ventura.

It is both the suburban proximity and diversity of this scenic coastal range that makes it a national treasure and a vengeful adversary to firefighters.


It was seventeen years ago today, on November 2, 1993 that a small blaze in the Santa Monica Mountains fanned by 40 mile-per-hour winds, would become a nine-day conflagration that killed three civilians, overran or entrapped 74 firefighters and led to 565 firefighter injuries.

Known as the "Old Topanga Incident" this massive and relentless brush fire continues to serve as a global example of Fire Service teamwork and commitment. The official report from our friends at the County of Los Angeles Fire Department remains a worthy read:

Official Report of the "Old Topanga Incident"

Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

READ MORE - Nine Days of Hell in November: The Old Topanga Wildfire of 1993

Pursuant of a formal Mutual Aid Request, the Los Angeles Fire Department has assigned one Strike Team of firefighters to assist the Kern County Fire Department and allied agencies in their battle against a brush fire near Lebec, California (northeast of Frazier Park), approximately 40 miles northwest of our City.

View larger map of Post Fire (you can also pan, click & zoom the map above!)
These twenty-two personnel from the Los Angeles Fire Department have been dispatched to the Post Fire in accordance with California's Fire & Rescue Emergency Mutual Aid System. Administered by the California Emergency Management Agency (Cal EMA), the system is designed to ensure resources to local jurisdictions when their own resources are committed or insufficient for a specific emergency incident.

The City of Los Angeles remains protected by the use of additional staff and reserve apparatus to cover foreseeable local needs.

The men and women of the LAFD ask motorists to remain watchful for these and other convoys of emergency apparatus, and to be mindful of the space necessary for them to safely maneuver on local roads and highways.

Pursuant of protocol, official public and media information regarding this wildfire, including the actions of assigned LAFD personnel, will be provided by the Kern County Fire Department, which maintains daily jurisdictional authority of the area where the fire is burning. Additional details may be posted for public view on the Inciweb system.

Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

READ MORE - LAFD Responds to 'Post Fire' near Lebec

Pursuant of a formal Mutual Aid Request, the Los Angeles Fire Department has assigned one helicopter and helitack team to assist U.S. Forest Service Personnel from the Angeles National Forest and allied agencies in their battle against a brush fire southwest of Acton, California, approximately 15 miles northeast of our City.

Click here for map of the Briggs Fire  and nearby Crown Fire

These 6 personnel from the Los Angeles Fire Department have been dispatched to the Briggs Fire in accordance with California's Fire & Rescue Emergency Mutual Aid System. Administered by the California Emergency Management Agency (Cal EMA), the system is designed to ensure resources to local jurisdictions when their resources are committed or insufficient for a specific emergency incident.

The City of Los Angeles remains protected by the use of additional staff and reserve apparatus to cover foreseeable local needs.

The men and women of the LAFD ask motorists to remain watchful for these and other convoys of emergency apparatus, and to be mindful of the space necessary for them to safely maneuver on local roads and highways.

Pursuant of protocol, official public and media information regarding this wildfire, including the actions of assigned LAFD personnel, will be provided by U.S. Forest Service Personnel from the Angeles National Forest, which maintains daily jurisdictional authority of the area where the fire is burning.

Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

READ MORE - LAFD Responds to 'Briggs Fire' near Acton

Pursuant of a formal Mutual Aid Request, the Los Angeles Fire Department has assigned two Strike Teams of firefighters to assist the Los Angeles County Fire Department and allied agencies in their battle against a brush fire southeast of Leona Valley, California, approximately 20 miles northeast of our City.


View View Larger Map of the Crown Fire (You can also pan, click & zoom the map above!)
These 44 personnel from the Los Angeles Fire Department have been dispatched to the Crown Fire in accordance with California's Fire & Rescue Emergency Mutual Aid System. Administered by the California Emergency Management Agency (Cal EMA), the system is designed to ensure resources to local jurisdictions when their resources are committed or insufficient for a specific emergency incident.

The City of Los Angeles remains protected by the use of additional staff and reserve apparatus to cover foreseeable local needs.

The men and women of the LAFD ask motorists to remain watchful for these and other convoys of emergency apparatus, and to be mindful of the space necessary for them to safely maneuver on local roads and highways.

Pursuant of protocol, official public and media information regarding this wildfire, including the actions of assigned LAFD personnel, will be provided by the Los Angeles County Fire Department, which maintains daily jurisdictional authority of the area where the fire is burning.

Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

READ MORE - LAFD Responds to 'Crown Fire' near Leona Valley

Pursuant of a formal Mutual Aid Request, the Los Angeles Fire Department has assigned one Strike Team of firefighters and one contract Helitanker to assist the Ventura County Fire Department and allied agencies in their battle against a brush fire near Fillmore, California, 20 miles northwest of our City.


View Larger Map of Area (You can also pan, click & zoom the map above!)
These 24 personnel from the Los Angeles Fire Department have been dispatched to the Guiberson Fire in accordance with California's Fire & Rescue Emergency Mutual Aid System. Administered by the California Emergency Management Agency, the system is designed to ensure additional resources to local jurisdictions whenever their resources are committed or insufficient for a specific emergency incident.

The City of Los Angeles remains protected by the use of additional staff and reserve apparatus to cover foreseeable local needs.

The men and women of the LAFD ask motorists to remain watchful for these and other convoys of emergency apparatus, and to be mindful of the space necessary for them to safely maneuver on local roads and highways.

Pursuant of protocol, official public and media information regarding this wildfire, including the actions of assigned LAFD personnel, will be provided by the Ventura County Fire Department, which maintains daily jurisdictional authority of the area where the fire is burning.

Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

READ MORE - LAFD Responds To 'Guiberson' Wildfire Near Fillmore

On Tuesday, August 18, 2009 at 11:29 AM, 33 Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters, 6 LAFD Rescue Ambulances, 3 Arson Units, 1 Rehab Unit, 4 LAFD Helicopters, 2 EMS Battalion Captains, 4 Battalion Chief Officer Command Teams and 1 Division Chief Officer Command Team, a total of 202 Los Angeles Fire Department personnel, joined by 4 Hand Crews, a Crew Supervisor and Helicopter from the Los Angeles County Fire Department as well as five Engine Companies, 1 Hand Crew, 2 Patrols, a Water Tender, Helicopter and Supervisor from the U.S. Forest Service, each under the Command of Los Angeles Fire Department Assistant Chief Jeffrey S. Mottram, responded to a Major Emergency Brush Fire in Oliver Canyon, a Wildland Fire Mutual Threat Zone near Foothill Boulevard and Conover Place in the Los Angeles community of Sunland.

Firefighters from the three agencies converged quickly to find nearly three acres of volatile grass and brush burning in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains during a period of seasonally intense heat but little wind.

As water-dropping helicopters commenced a synchronized aerial assault at the head of the fire, ground based firefighters anchored the flames, working the flanks of the fire along the steep and at-times unstable terrain north of the Tujunga Wash.

Keeping the flames more than 100 yards from a handful of nearby homes, firefighters held the blaze to less than twenty acres of wilderness, extinguishing the flames in just 1 hour and 46 minutes.

During emergency fireground operations in rugged terrain, a total of five firefighters sustained non-life threatening injuries. The injured included two Los Angeles Firefighters, one suffering a severe ankle sprain, the other fracturing a bone in his lower leg. Also injured were three Hand Crew members supervised by the Los Angeles County Fire Department, including one who suffered multiple bee stings, and two others who fell ill due to heat exhaustion.

All five were taken to area hospitals by LAFD Rescue Ambulance, where they were treated and released to remain off-duty.

No other injuries were reported.

The cause of this blaze remains under active investigation.


Submitted by Erik Scott & Brian Humphrey, Spokesmen
Los Angeles Fire Department

READ MORE - Los Angeles Wildfire Sends 5 Firefighters To Hospital

Pursuant of a formal Mutual Aid Request, the Los Angeles Fire Department has assigned four Strike Teams of firefighters to assist the Santa Barbara Fire Department, Santa Barbara County Fire Department, CAL FIRE, the U.S. Forest Service and allied agencies in their battle against a wind-driven brush fire near Santa Barbara, California, 75 miles northwest of our City.


Along with official state and federal information, you can view a larger (non-official) map
These 90 personnel from the Los Angeles Fire Department have been dispatched to the "Jesusita Wildland Fire" in accordance with California's Fire & Rescue Emergency Mutual Aid System. Administered by the California Emergency Management Agency, the system is designed to ensure additional resources to local jurisdictions whenever their resources are committed or insufficient for a specific emergency incident.

The City of Los Angeles remains fully protected by the use of additional staff and reserve apparatus to cover foreseeable local needs.

The men and women of the LAFD ask motorists to remain watchful for these and other convoys of emergency apparatus, and to be mindful of the space necessary for them to safely maneuver on local roads and highways.

Pursuant of protocol, official public and media information regarding this wildfire, including the actions of assigned LAFD personnel, will be provided jointly through the City and County of Santa Barbara, CAL FIRE, the U.S. Forest Service and agencies that maintain daily jurisdictional authority of the area where the fire is burning.

Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

READ MORE - LAFD Responds to 'Jesusita' Wildfire near Santa Barbara