Portland Fire & Rescue fire inspector Christine Pezzulo was riding in a convoy of five fire engines and a task support vehicle as firefighters pulled into the sprawling parking lot of a fire station on Saturday morning when she saw them: her wife and two kids.
Dustin and Jennifer Nehl were arrested last weekend after police said they were caught trying to enter the Palisades Fire evacuation zone dressed as firefighters.
Multnomah County firefighters returning home from California are set to share their experiences battling the deadly wildfires in the greater Los Angeles area.
Fire officials from both states say no engines were prevented from entering California and none of the vehicles underwent any emissions testing.
Firefighters with Portland Fire and Rescue, Port of Portland Fire Dept. and Gresham Fire Dept. returned Saturday, after being deployed to the Palisades Fire.
California’s firefighting agency did not reject firetrucks sent from Oregon to help with the Los Angeles fires, contrary to online posts saying the vehicles were not deployed because they didn’t meet California’s strict emissions standards.
According to Oregon and California’s fire departments, trucks were stopped in Davis, California, just outside Sacramento, for maintenance and safety checks, and those trucks continued onward. Photos and news coverage confirm that trucks from other states were assisting firefighters in Los Angeles.
Crews from neighboring states are helping California fight the Los Angeles area fires, and officials say regulations are not holding them up.
Washington, Arizona and Illinois joined Oregon in one case, while California and other Democratic states filed a separate lawsuit.
Fire trucks traveling from Oregon and other states to help fight the California wildfires were stopped for routine 15-minute safety checks, not emissions testing.
KATU News has been made aware of a post on a social media site claiming that the 60 fire engines from Oregon would not be allowed in California.
Oregon's strike teams are returning home after assisting with Southern California wildfires, with 17 out of 21 teams set to leave. The largest deployment in state history aided in wildfire containment efforts.