High winds keep L.A. firefighters busy with damage calls
The Los Angeles Fire Department usually files 1,000 incident reports a day but reached that mark in only 7 1/2 hours Thursday, partly because of wind damage throughout the city.
The calls recorded from midnight to 7:30 a.m. Thursday included a large number of reports of fallen electrical wires and debris in the road, said Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Matt Spence.
“That’s a high number of calls to be taking,” he said. “What that says is that there is a lot going on.”
PHOTOS: Wind wreaks havoc on Southern California
But with the exception of a grass fire that broke out near Occidental College around midnight, the department has not responded to any major wind-related fire incidents in the city.
The Fire Department deployed its “ready reserve fleet” of off-duty workers about 8 p.m. Wednesday to tackle fire danger in the most vulnerable areas. Spence said the fleet will remain in service “until further notice.”
The department’s red-flag alert will also remain in effect for an unspecified period of time. Spence urged residents to check Lafd.org/redflag/ for updates on when parking restrictions will be lifted.
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-- Matt Stevens
Photo: A large eucalyptus tree fell on a home in Boyle Heights. Credit: KTLA-TV
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