Governor Newsom prepositions firefighting resources to Los Angeles and Santa Barbara counties ahead of critical fire weather and moderate heat

What you need to know: Governor Newsom directs Cal OES to preposition firefighting personnel and equipment in anticipation of critical fire weather to ensure assets are in place to respond quickly to new fires.  

SACRAMENTO – At the direction of Governor Gavin Newsom, the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) today approved the prepositioning of five fire engines, one water tender, two helicopters, and more than 60 personnel to Los Angeles and Santa Barbara counties. The staging locations and response assignments are coordinated by local officials. 

“California is seeing elevated fire weather conditions across parts of California, and Cal OES, coordinating with our local government partners, is taking steps now to preposition firefighting resources early so help is ready to move at a moment’s notice,” said Cal OES Director Caroline Thomas Jacobs. “By placing engines, crews, and critical emergency resources in high-risk areas before a fire starts, we can strengthen response capabilities, support our local partners, and help protect lives and communities.” 

While there are currently no Red Flag Warnings or Fire Weather Watches in effect for Los Angeles County, the National Weather Service is predicting warmer and drier-than-normal conditions, which are contributing to higher-than-usual fire danger for this time of year. These seasonally hot, dry conditions, combined with drying grasses and brush, can allow new fires to start more easily and spread more quickly, so Cal OES is strategically pre-positioning resources as a precaution ahead of this weekend. 

These preposition efforts, beginning Friday morning and lasting through the weekend, ensure that resources are ready to respond quickly, minimizing the potential impact of new fires. This proactive approach has proven to be a critical component of California’s wildfire response strategy, reducing response times and containing fires before they escalate into major incidents. The preposition program is in addition to California’s Fire and Rescue Mutual Aid System, which remains available for emergency response support throughout the state where resources are needed. 

Historic investments statewide 

Since 2019, California has significantly expanded its firefighting capacity by investing in personnel, equipment, and training to protect communities from increasingly severe wildfires and extreme weather events. Under the Newsom administration, California’s fire protection budget nearly doubled—from $2 billion to $3.8 billion and more than $2.5 billion in wildfire resilience and forest health projects. At the same time, as the state’s leadership hub for responding to and rebuilding after major wildfires, the budget for Cal OES has increased from $1.8 billion to $4.5 billion.  

Residents are urged to stay vigilant during this heightened heat and fire weather period. Californians are reminded to: 

• For more information on fire safety and general preparedness, visit Ready.ca.gov. 

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