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October 30, 2026

Here’s the latest news impacting Los Angeles Firefighters…


 
Feature
 

To learn more about Measure FD, click HERE.

 

Fund LA Fire Now!

Since the 1960s, LA has grown by 1.4 million people and 911 calls are up 5x. But the LAFD has only 8 more firefighters and 6 fewer stations. Measure FD would hire additional LAFD Firefighters & Paramedics and get help to you faster. 100% of funds must go to the LAFD. It can't be diverted or used for other purposes. Learn more at FundLAFire.com. 

FundLAFire.com


Firefighters Rescue 3 People from Rising Waters in North Hills Wash

Los Angeles firefighters rescued three people from the rain-swollen Pacoima Wash in North Hills Thursday morning, during one of the first significant rainstorms of the season. The Los Angeles Fire Department responded at about 9 a.m., with the first call to 15012 W. Parthenia St., east of Sepulveda Boulevard. A woman was pulled from the water and taken to a hospital in stable condition. A helicopter crew lifted a man out of the floodwater and flew him directly to a hospital. A second man, clinging to a bridge abutment near Saticoy Street, was hoisted out of the wash by firefighters using a ladder truck and a crane. Bystanders reported as many as four people in the water, but LAFD said the fourth person had already left before firefighters arrived and that no further victims were suspected.

ABC7



Photo by LAFD/PID Stephanie Bishop

LAFD Fire Station 86 Crew Honored for Saving 3-Year-Old Drowning Victim

The Los Angeles Fire Department honored the Fire Station 86 crew at a ceremony Oct. 20 for saving a 3-year-old girl who was pulled from a swimming pool in Studio City on May 9. Firefighters reached the scene within four minutes and found Keira with no pulse, not breathing. Paramedics began advanced resuscitative care within five minutes of the dispatch, combining continuous CPR with airway management, and after four minutes of treatment her heart resumed beating on its own. Her vital signs steadily improved during transport to a local emergency room, where the receiving physician was optimistic about her full recovery. Keira and her parents attended the ceremony and helped present the honors to Capt. Justin Randolph, Engineers Shawn Phillips and Daniel Harris, Firefighter/Paramedics Scott Luft, Curtis Faulkner and Preston Vowels, and Firefighter/Dispatcher Alfred Camacho.

LAFD


Helpful Honda Presents Wheelchairs to Retired LAFD Captain's Family

The LAFD welcomed the Helpful Honda team to Fire Station 84 for a special presentation to retired Fire Captain Derek Vehling and his family. Derek suffered a spinal cord injury more than a decade ago and later retired on a disability pension. Three of his children—Emilie, Brodie, and Maggie Mae—also live with a rare genetic condition known as Spinal Muscular Atrophy with Progressive Myoclonic Epilepsy (SMA-PME). The Helpful Honda team, with assistance from the Los Angeles Firemen’s Relief Association, presented the Vehling family with three wheelchairs: two electric wheelchairs and one designed for the beach. We’re grateful to everyone who helped make this possible and for the support shown to Derek and his family. This is a great example of people coming together to make a meaningful difference. Thank you to Helpful Honda and the Los Angeles Firemen’s Relief Association for their generosity and support!

CBS


 

Fire Watch

Crews Battle Tujunga, La Tuna Canyon Brush Fire

Firefighters battled a brush fire of about 1 acre in medium to heavy brush in the La Tuna Canyon area of Tujunga, south of the 210 Freeway, Thursday. The Los Angeles Fire Department said forward progress was stopped around 1:23 p.m., and no structures were threatened. Light winds were fueling a moderate rate of spread. A Red Flag Warning was in effect for Southern California, with a moderate to strong Santa Ana wind event expected to raise critical fire danger through Saturday.

CBS Los Angeles


Two Grass Fires Knocked Down in Sepulveda Basin

Firefighters stopped the forward progress of two separate grass fires in the Sepulveda Basin within 30 minutes Wednesday evening. Crews were dispatched around 7 p.m. to the 5600 block of North Woodley Avenue, where each fire burned an area of about 30 feet by 30 feet, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. No injuries were reported, and no nearby structures were threatened. The cause of the fires is under investigation.

MyNewsLA


Firefighters Battle Two Building Blaze in South Park

About 80 firefighters battled a fire that started on the second floor of a two-story triplex and spread to the attic of an adjacent one-story house in South Park Thursday morning. The fire was reported at about 1:34 a.m. at 225 W. 49th St., according to the Los Angeles Fire Department, and a complete knockdown was declared at 2:10 a.m. Firefighters used chainsaws, ladders and cranes and fought the flames from the roof, and crews stayed on scene for overhaul. No injuries were reported. The cause is under investigation.

MyNewsLA


Vernon Grow House Fire, South LA

Firefighters knocked down a fire in about 40 minutes at a two-story apartment building at 1725 W. Vernon Ave. in Vermont Square, west of Western Avenue, Saturday night. The fire was reported at 9:31 p.m. Firefighters found what they described as a marijuana grow house operation on the first floor, and the flames spread into the attic. First-arriving firefighters also reported downed power lines at the building. No injuries were reported. LAFD and LAPD responded, and an arson investigator was asked to respond to determine the cause. LAFD spokesman Jaime Stewart provided details.

OnScene.TV


Atwater Village Brush Fire Contained

Firefighters knocked down a brush fire in Atwater Village in 23 minutes Thursday evening. Crews responded around 8:10 p.m. to the 3900 block of East Chevy Chase Drive, where about three-quarters of an acre of vegetation burned, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. Crews stayed to extinguish remaining hot spots and conduct cleanup. No injuries were reported, and the cause is under investigation.

The Eastsider


Commercial Building Catches Fire in South Central

Firefighters battled a fire at a single-story commercial building of about 5,000 square feet at 2846 S. Grand Ave. in the Historic South-Central area of Los Angeles early Sunday. The fire was reported at 12:13 a.m., according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. First-arriving crews found a rubbish fire outside that had spread inside and initially attacked it offensively, then switched to a defensive mode because of heavy smoke from roof openings and interior conditions. They fought the fire from outside and protected nearby structures. The flames were out at 1:54 a.m. Downed power lines caused an outage at nearby intersections. No injuries were reported, and arson investigators were called to determine the cause.

MyNewsLA


Fire Burns Through Roof of Commercial Building in Fashion District in DTLA

A fire burned through the roof of a row of commercial packing businesses in the Fashion District of downtown Los Angeles Sunday evening. The Los Angeles Fire Department reported flames at 6:38 p.m. at 950 E. Pico Blvd., west of South Central Avenue, in a building about 40 by 150 feet. The incident commander ordered crews to switch to defensive operations, attacking the flames from outside the structure. Knockdown was declared at 8:09 p.m., about an hour and a half after the initial 911 call. No injuries were reported, and the cause remained undetermined. The Los Angeles Department of Transportation, Southern California Gas Co. and the Los Angeles Police Department were notified.

Patch


Firefighters Halt Brushfire in Elysian Park Overnight

Firefighters stopped the forward progress of a half-acre brush fire on the eastern edge of Elysian Park, near the L.A. River, early Monday. The fire was reported at 11:56 p.m. Sunday in the 1400 block of Elysian Park Road at Park Row Drive East, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. It was burning slowly in medium-sized brush, and no structures were threatened. Forward progress was stopped at 12:50 a.m., about an hour after the call, and firefighters then worked on remaining hot spots. No injuries were reported.

The Eastsider


Brush Fire Battled in Brentwood on N. Sepulveda Blvd.

Firefighters battled two burning mulch piles at the Mountain Gate Country Club golf course in Brentwood Tuesday afternoon. The fire was reported at 12:49 p.m. at 2549 N. Sepulveda Blvd., according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. Each pile was about 200 feet by 200 feet. The fire was contained to the golf course, with no threat of spread, and no structures were threatened. LAFD said no further updates are expected.

Canyon News


Crews Make Quick Work of House Fire in El Sereno

Firefighters quickly put out a fire in a single-family home in El Sereno Friday afternoon. The fire was reported at 12:25 p.m. at 5202 E. Chester St., north of Valley Boulevard, and was declared out by 12:45 p.m., according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. Crews found smoke coming from the home's crawlspace. No injuries were reported, and there was no immediate word on the cause.

The Eastsider


Firefighters Battle Reseda Fire

Firefighters put out an outside fire in Reseda Friday afternoon that spread to multiple trees and a structure across four neighboring properties. The fire was reported around 4:55 p.m. in the 6900 block of Amigo Avenue, two blocks west of Reseda Boulevard and one block north of Vanowen Street, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. No injuries were reported, and two people were evaluated at the scene. The cause is under investigation.

MyNewsLA


Firefighters Knock Down Fire at Single-Story West Hills Home

Firefighters put out a fire at a single-story home in West Hills Sunday morning. Crews were dispatched at 9:42 a.m. to 22719 W. Lull St., and the fire was out 19 minutes after they arrived, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. No injuries were reported, and the cause is under investigation.

MyNewsLA


 
First Responder News

Northridge Multi-Car Crash Leaves 9 Injured, 2 Critically

Nine people were hurt, two of them critically, in a multi-car crash in Northridge Sunday morning. The crash happened around 10:10 a.m. in the 9900 block of North Reseda Boulevard, near Lassen Street, and video posted to the Citizen app showed as many as five cars involved. Two people were trapped in the wreckage and taken to a nearby hospital in critical condition. Three others were taken to nearby hospitals in unknown condition, and four people refused transport, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating the cause.

CBS Los Angeles


State News

California Wildfires Map

Track wildfire origins, perimeters and air pollution with the L.A. Times California wildfires map.

LA Times


National News

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

We can all help prevent suicide. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals in the United States.

988


 
 

Above & Beyond

Are YOU Interested in Being Equipped to Help When Disaster Strikes?

Yesterday, LAFD CERT volunteers refreshed their emergency response skills during biannual training, building the knowledge and confidence to help their neighbors and communities in an emergency. LAFD offers ongoing CERT classes and certification opportunities for community members who want to be better prepared to help during emergencies. Learn more at LAFD.org/CERT

ABC7


Events

2026 Valor Awards

On November 5, 2026, businesses, organizations, and community members will gather on the field at Dodger Stadium to honor the courage, sacrifice, and extraordinary service of our Los Angeles firefighters. The annual Valor Awards brings our community and corporate supporters together for a one-of-a-kind evening celebrating the bravery and dedication of our LAFD heroes.

LAFD Foundation


In Remembrance
Remembering Our Fallen Brothers & Sisters

Fireboat Pilot

Donald L. Costa

Deceased: 10/20/2026

Appointed: 6/10/1961

Assignment: FS 49

Retired: 3/9/1993

 

Captain I

Glenn E. Bell

Deceased: 10/4/2026

Appointed: 3/10/1962

Assignment: FS 42

Retired: 6/29/1992

 

Captain I

Wesley J. Shundo

Deceased: 10/2/2026

Appointed: 12/15/1980

Assignment: FS 101

Retired: 6/30/2012

 

Engineer

John W. Heldoorn

Deceased: 9/20/2026

Appointed: 11/4/1973

Assignment: FS 106

Retired: 6/30/2008


Firefighter III

Theodore J. Aquaro

Deceased: 9/3/2026

Appointed: 6/14/1961

Assignment: FS 90

Retired: 5/13/1982

 

Firefighter III

Daniel A. Schemenauer

Deceased: 8/31/2026

Appointed: 8/23/1969

Assignment: FS 96

Retired: 1/21/1999

 

Firefighter III

Stephen C. Graves

Deceased: 8/25/2026

Appointed: 6/12/1971

Assignment: Fire Safety Education Unit

Retired: 7/28/1991

 

Captain II

J. B. Benoit

Deceased: 8/20/2026

Appointed: 1/2/1962

Assignment: FS 90

Retired: 5/20/1990


Battalion Chief

Jay P. Turner

Deceased: 8/18/2026

Appointed: 5/16/1970

Assignment: Battalion 2

Retired: 6/30/2007

 

Firefighter III

Freddie D. Wilson

Deceased: 8/7/2026

Appointed: 10/18/1969

Assignment: FS 106

Retired: 7/24/1997

 

Fire Inspector

John C. Lewis

Deceased: 8/6/2026

Appointed: 9/1/1962

Assignment: Building Standards Unit

Retired: 12/3/1989

 

Chief Engineer

Donald O. Manning

Deceased: 8/5/2026

Appointed: 12/19/1955

Assignment: Chief Engineer Office

Retired: 4/30/1995


 
 
About UFLAC: Since 1918, UFLAC has been the labor organization of the proud men and women that serve as firefighters and emergency medical responders protecting the City of Los Angeles. The members of the Los Angeles Fire Department rely on UFLAC to focus on the wellbeing and safety of those that protect the lives of others. For more information, visit www.uflac.org.
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