'They deserve a break' | Houston firefighters fly out to California to help exhausted crews battle deadly wildfires

HOUSTON — More than 40 firefighters from the Houston area boarded plans Tuesday morning at Hobby Airport, joining thousands of emergency responders headed to northern California to fight the deadly wildfires.

Southwest has agreed to waive fares for the 170 firefighters from Texas who are going to California today in support. That includes firefighters from Conroe, Montgomery and Humble and other local departments.

Right now, there are close to 30 fires burning across the state that firefighters have been battling for weeks. Flames have already burned through thousands of homes, prompted mass community evacuations and millions of lives are still in danger.

The crews were up bright and early for their flight and ready to help out. They will also be relieving the more than a hundred Houston-area firefighters already in California.

“Just know that we’re coming to help,” one Houston firefighter said. “They deserve a break. We’ll give them a chance to rest and recuperate. Hopefully, we can make some headway on these fires.”