Last season’s long winter and heavy snowpack has helped prevent severe wildfires in Colorado. In California, however, the prolonged drought and lack of sufficient recent precipitation has led to dangerous conditions for wildfires.
Near Los Angeles, a wildfire started below a voltage tower and quickly spread. As of press time Tuesday afternoon, the Saddleridge Fire burned nearly 8,300 acres and was 45 percent contained, according to an update posted by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection on Facebook.
To help California firefighters battle the flames, the Telluride Fire Protection District (TFPD) recently sent three members to the Golden State. The three firefighters are part of Telluride’s seasonal task force, which was established in May 2018.