Ontario to send waterbombers, firefighters to help battle devastating California fires

The province of Ontario is pitching in to help fight the devastating fires in the Los Angeles area.

Premier Doug Ford says the province will send two waterbombers, 165 urban firefighters and an incident management team of up to 20 additional staff to California to assist their efforts in battling the devastating wildfires that have caused thousands of people to flee their homes.

Ford says Ontario will “spare no expense to help our closest friends.”

Provincial officials say they will coordinate with the federal government and the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre on how and when these resources will be deployed.

A pair of Quebec water bombers and their crews have been in California since Tuesday helping to fight the wildfires.

The BC Wildfire Service said its help had not been requested in California, but it “may provide support in the days ahead.”

Firefighters say they are making progress in slowing the major fires that have killed five people. Cadaver dogs and search crews are beginning to search the rubble for more victims.

Roughly 180,000 people are under evacuation orders in the Los Angeles area.

While some famed spots like the Getty Villa Museum, the Hollywood Bowl, the Hollywood sign, and TCL Chinese Theatre have remained at least largely unharmed, the fires have taken a toll on some familiar sites. The high school where Brian De Palma brought Stephen King’s “Carrie” to life, Will Rogers’ ranch house and a motel owned by William Randolph Hearst are among some of the famous structures that were damaged or destroyed by the fires.

Files from The Associated Press were used in this report