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Retired California fire captain shares perspective on battling Los Angeles wildfires

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Published  January 10, 2025 12:42pm EST
Wildfires
FOX 13 News

California wildfire relief efforts from Florida

FOX 13’s Kailey Tracy has the latest on resources from Florida on the way to the Los Angeles area to assist as deadly wildfires continue to burn.

The Brief

    • Nick Perricelli spent 37 years with CAL FIRE and shared his thoughts on the challenges firefighters in Los Angeles are currently facing.
    • Five major fires have burned more than 34,000 acres in Southern California since Tuesday.
    • At least 10 people have died and 180,000 people have evacuated.

TAMPA, Fla. - Five major fires have burned more than 34,000 acres in Southern California since Tuesday, as of Friday morning. More than 10,000 structures have been destroyed.

At least 10 people have died and 180,000 people have evacuated.

Nick Perricelli spent 37 years with CAL FIRE before he retired and moved to Volusia County a few years ago. He said the engine he used to captain is battling the fires in Los Angeles, and he wishes he was there to help.

LA fires latest: What to know on Friday as death toll rises to 10

"I feel helpless," Perricelli said. "I know that I could have done something. You know, my engine was there and I saw it saving structures. So, I know that we could have done something. At the same time, with conditions like that, it's hard to do anything other than life safety and you know what? If we put three or four people in the fire engine and drove them out, at least we'd know that we saved some lives, too."

Perricelli said in his experience, they would rely on natural sources of water.

"We didn't rely on fire hydrants. We would set up a drafting station out of a pond or a lake or a river or something, and we would get our own reliable water," he said.

A grid of photos showing the wildfires in California.

A grid of photos showing the wildfires in California.

He warned that wildfires are unpredictable. They can switch direction and jump roads. He said in Florida, we may get at least a few days’ notice for storms, but with wildfires, sometimes you only have minutes to get out.

"Floridians can recognize the hurricane and tropical storm and stuff like that. So, imagine those winds with no rain and you got fire and brush. It’s going to blow embers. I mean, they're getting embers cast a mile to a mile and a half out in front of the fire front. So, that's obviously going to start new fires out in front of it, and it's just going to progress that much faster. The winds, I think, in this were the biggest problem," Perricelli said.

What caused the California fires? What we know

Governor Ron DeSantis has also offered California help. He wrote on X, "when disaster strikes … we must come together to help our fellow Americans in any way we can." He said Florida stands ready to help not only respond to the fires, but to rebuild the communities that have been devastated.

State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis and the Florida Division of Emergency management also said Florida is ready to offer several resources, including firefighters, equipment and mental health experts, if and when California officials request it.

Volunteers with the Red Cross of Central Florida also left Thursday to help victims of the fires.

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