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Fresno firefighters to assist after mudslides

By Larry Valenzuela
A firefighter walks among the rocks and mud left by a mudslide Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2018, in Montecito,
A firefighter walks among the rocks and mud left by a mudslide Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2018, in Montecito, Marcio Jose Sanchez AP

Local firefighters from the Fresno area are participating in efforts to assist those affected by devastating mudslides that struck Southern California this week.

According to a tweet by Fresno Cal Fire, fire crew CA-RTF5 left Fresno around 11 p.m. Wednesday.

The mudslides struck Santa Barbara County on Tuesday, and the death toll had risen to at least 17 by Wednesday. Many of the deaths happened in the community of Montecito.

Torrential rains unleashed flash floods in the Santa Ynez Mountains, where the biggest wildfire on record in California stripped vegetation from steep hillsides and burned more than 1,000 homes last month.

Larry Valenzuela: 559-441-6084, @larryvalwork

This story was originally published January 10, 2018 at 11:50 PM with the headline "Fresno firefighters to assist after mudslides."

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