JAKARTA - A total of 72 Mexican firefighters received briefing from US firefighters on Monday to work hand in hand with local officials to help extinguish the forest fires that hit Los Angeles, California.
The group consists of military specialists, including doctors, technicians, search and rescue personnel, as well as a group of firefighters from the US Forestry Service in Mexico.
The Mexican team will join firefighters from seven states and Canada to try to control the blaze.
"They are now tasked with extinguishing the fire, where they will engage in the fire line, basically working as a crew," said Edwin Zuniga, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) public information officer.
"So build detention lines, strengthen detention lines and engage directly in fires if necessary," he continued.
The duration of the placement of Mexican firefighters is uncertain, according to Zuniga. It could be a week or three weeks.
"We have a special team, so we are here to help, bring aid to the community, provide the best for them," said firefighter Ivan Lorenzo Garcia of the Mexican Army Emergency Response Battalion.
Meanwhile, the National Coordinator of Civil Protection for Mexico Laura Velazquez Alzua spoke about the importance of international cooperation.
"We received instructions from the President of Mexico, Dr. Claudia Sheinbaum, to come and help and contribute with the experience and knowledge of 72 specialists in the fire fighting," he said.
Velazquez Alzua called it a "very important" moment for firefighters.
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"We believe Mexico is a supportive country, a country that strengthens its brotherhood with the people of the United States," he said.
It is known that a major forest fire that has been raging in the Los Angeles area since Tuesday has claimed the lives of at least 24 people and burned an area as wide as Washington, DC.
More than 90,000 residents in the area were forced to flee their homes and the entire environment was on fire.
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