Ontario ready to deploy more than 150 firefighters to California, Ford calls situation 'devastating'

More than 150 Ontario firefighters are standing by and ready to be deployed to California as the state battles unprecedented wildfires, which have displaced more than 100,000 residents and left five people dead.

“Our closest friend and our closest ally needs help, and we’re going to make sure we’re going to be there for there supporting them,” Ford said during a news conference Thursday afternoon.

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The premier called the situation in California a tragedy and acknowledged the firefighters who are “absolute heroes.”

The province says two waterbombers and pilots, 165 urban firefighters, and 20 additional emergency response personnel are available to head west, should they be called upon.

Ford noted that, if necessary, the province could send up to 300 additional firefighters to help.

Since Tuesday, some 130,000 people have been told to evacuate their homes as massive fires burn in the affluent neighbourhoods of Pacific Palisades and Hollywood Hills in the west and Altadena in the east, as well as other areas in between.

Hurricane-level winds observed earlier this week propelled fires from one neighbourhood to another and fire hydrants in some areas ran dry due to the surge in use. Officials say dry winds contributed to the spread of fires in Southern California, an area which has seen less than three millimetres of rain since early May.

At least five people have died, and firefighters are working to get the remaining blazes under control. So far, the fires have already burned an area roughly the size of the city of San Francisco and the blaze in Pacific Palisades has been declared the most destructive in Los Angeles history.

Ford said the province will provide whatever personnel and equipment is needed and “spare no expense” to support the affected areas. The province said it is coordinating with the federal government and the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre on how and when its resources will be deployed.

“We’re working with the federal government. They’re working with the state of California, and we’re just waiting for the green light. Hopefully we’ll get this, and they’ll be on their way by tomorrow,” Ford said.

“We’re working in warp speed and just making sure that everyone’s equipped ready to take off right now.”

So far, two Canadian-made CL-415 planes belonging to the Quebec government have been sent to California to provide support, as well as some helicopters belonging to B.C.-based Coulson Aviation.

With files from The Associated Press