Video: Community L.A. Fire Brigade Steps In to Help Evacuate Residents

“Top is Yankee.” “Victor’s your side. Yankee is the other side of Topanga, OK?” Community fire brigade volunteers are on the streets of Topanga, California. The Palisades fire was encroaching on this home, and Keegan Gibbs and his team were working to evacuate the owner. “OK, hi. So I gotta do this fast, so.” “I honestly just kind of want you to leave, because it’s getting bad.” “No we’re out of here in five minutes.” The brigade works to back up the fire department when resources are stretched thin. “L.A. County and the other supporting agencies are the best in the world at what they do. Events like this, it’s not enough.” The Palisades fire has now been burning for several days, and has destroyed tens of thousands of acres. “It makes no sense for somebody to try to stay here. It’s so unbelievably dangerous.” “I walked kind of with Keegan a little bit. We were going to stay, probably going to stay for a little while, but we walked the property and it’s just almost like, I just don’t think it’s safe. Can you just open that? I’m want to throw some more stuff in here, and then we’ll be good. Just going to put pictures, important memorabilia.” “There’s a huge denial that people won’t be affected by fire, and we have to be advocates for people to realize and accept that risk.” With firefighters still unable to contain two of the region’s largest fires, more L.A. residents are expected to join the tens of thousands who have already been forced to evacuate. “Our mission is to make sure people are safe, just full stop.”