Update: A report said that the Oregon trucks were required to go through a safety check. The words “emissions” and “smog” tests are no longer in the report as they were in originally. Nine were in California on Friday.
Cal Fire (the voice of the bureaucratic apparatus):
A spokesperson with CAL Fire says that is patently false. “No vehicles from Oregon have been turned around or refused service at Davis Mobile Equipment and all out-of-state vehicles have been services and are heading to or have arrived in Southern California. No emissions testing was performed. All repairs were completed the same day with the exception of a couple because of parts but turn around was early next day,” CAL Fire Spokesperson via email.
“These inspections ensure all engines on an emergency scene are equipped, mechanically sound, and able to respond. This ensures our number one priority of a safe deployment for our firefighters,” the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office said.
Nicholas Kristof, NY Times Columnist:
“Oregon officials confirmed reports that when their fire trucks rushed south to help with LA fires, California first required them to undergo safety inspections in Sacramento. They say this wasn’t a big deal. But slowing first responder vehicles from a neighboring state in a life-and-death emergency sounds to me like regulatory overreach.”
Original Story
Sacramento bureaucrats held up a fire department strike team of 60 firetrucks from Oregon. The truck teams were sent to help contain the Los Angeles fires and stopped for emissions testing since they didn’t have smog certificates.
Therefore, as LA burned, the fire trucks went through smog testing.
Santa Monica Observer posted:
“I just heard from my brother,” tweets Parker Caldwell, “a firefighter in Central Oregon, that the 60 firetrucks the state sent to support the LA fires are being held up in Sacramento for ’emissions testing.’ They likely won’t pass inspection and won’t be able to help… What a joke.”
“Update from our EF&R strike team leader – crews are going through inspection in Davis, California. They have been assigned to the #PalisadeFire, which is currently 6% contained. Safe travels to our team! #CaliforniaWildfires #wafirefighters”
Meanwhile, according to the Bend Bulletin, the strike teams were stopped in the Sacramento area before arriving in Southern California to complete mandatory vehicle safety checks. Oregon State Fire Marshal agency administrator Ian Yocum described the safety checks as a “critical” part of the mission.
Yocum said, “With moving this amount of equipment and firefighters, safety has to be our highest priority.”
They didn’t have smog certificates. However, LA was burning down.
Only eleven of them got going on Friday.
It seems dangerous to set emissions testing as a priority when the country is going through one of the worst disasters in its history.
What?
Oregon sent 60 Fire Trucks…only for them to be stopped in San Francisco for ‘Emissions Testing’…pic.twitter.com/tV2Z1Slfxz
— Liz Churchill (@liz_churchill10) January 11, 2025
Mayor Bass rejected the Israel strike teams. Maybe LA was better off with her in Ghana.
Shocking! The LA fires are out of control, yet 2 days ago when Israel offered to send fire rescue crews to help like they do all over the world, the Los Angeles mayor rebuffed them. Is woke California still putting politics over lives, or does it actually want all of LA to burn? pic.twitter.com/WNC1e0mPIS
— AJ Steel Show (@ajsteelshow) January 11, 2025
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