Retired Coast Guard helicopter commander details risks for aircrews battling Los Angeles wildfires
As the deadly wildfires spread, so did thousands of Los Angeles County residents to run for their livesthere are brave Americans who walk into danger to fight the flames.
John Mixson, a retired U.S. Coast Guard search and rescue helicopter commander, is aware of the dangers to crew members fighting fires. Crews resumed flights on Wednesday after being grounded since Tuesday night.
“There are several different hazards involved that are unique to the operation that they’re doing,” Mixson told Fox News Digital. “One of the most obvious is the low altitude over hilly terrain in high wind conditions, which is what they’re struggling with now.”
Air crews working to contain the wildfires also face several obstacles. Mixson noted that through the smoke, those crews also have to avoid other aircraft, terrain and everyday hazards like radio towers.
Fires rage in the Hollywood Hills area of Los Angeles on Wednesday, January 8, 2025. (Jill Connelly/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
In addition to stressful conditions, firefighting aircraft operators must also handle populated areas with care. That means figuring out how to put out a fire while dealing not only with “personal property, but also personnel and lives.”
Fire crews respond to destroyed homes as a helicopter drops water on the Palisades fire in California on January 7, 2025. (David Swanson/AFP via Getty Images)
PALISADES RESIDENT DESCRIBES LOSS OF HOMES IN FIRE
Despite the high stress of the job, which Mixson admits is “challenging and very dangerous”, he expressed confidence in those battling the devastating fires.
“All the crews that do this are extremely, extremely highly trained specifically for a specialized mission,” Mixson said. “This is not a secondary mission for Cal Fire people or any of the DoD or Forest Service firefighters. Just like the U.S. Coast Guard, they are very, very specialized in what they do. It’s very, very dangerous, that is very challenging, but they are also very, very well trained, unique to a particular task.”
A firefighting aircraft drops fire retardant Phos-Chek as the Palisades Fire burns amid a powerful storm on January 7, 2025 in Pacific Palisades, California. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)
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Wildfires ravaging Los Angeles County have left five dead and forced thousands to flee their homes. LA Mayor Karen Bass and California Governor Gavin Newsom face off growing criticism for their disaster response. Bass particularly faced backlash not only because she was out of the country when the fires started, but also because she cut her city’s fire department budget by $17 million.
On Thursday, LA County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone announced that the spread of the Eaton fire had been “significantly contained.” Wildfires have burned over 29,000 hectares as of noon Thursday, according to Cal Fire.
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