Mexican firefighters prepare to do battle with LA fires

Mexican military personnel gather at an incident command post following the Palisades Fire in Malibu, California, U.S. January 13, 2025. REUTERS/David Ryder

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A contingent of 72 Mexican firefighters received a briefing from U.S. fire officials on Monday alongside their American counterparts before heading out to help fight the wildfires plaguing Southern California.

The group is made up of military specialists, including doctors, engineers and search and rescue personnel, as well as a group of firefighters from Mexico's equivalent of the U.S. Forest Service.