California mobilizes to protect communities as summer heat builds across the West

This mobilization builds on the Governor’s announcement at McClellan Air Park last week, where he unveiled the state’s next generation of wildfire-fighting technology, from AI-guided drones to satellites that spot blazes from space. Climate change is raising risks across the nation and the globe. So far this year, climate disasters have caused at least $31.9 billion in damages and at least 183 fatalities, according to Climate Central. This week, climate scientists found that global warming made the fire weather behind this month’s record wildfires in Spain and France dramatically more likely, and Canadian wildfire smoke has impacted the air quality of more than 100 million Americans this summer.

Public safety and emergency response

The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) State Operations Center is operating at an enhanced watch, with 40 staff dedicated to coordinating statewide response efforts as temperatures climb. 

Working alongside local fire officials, Cal OES has moved additional firefighting resources into Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Inyo, Kings, El Dorado, Fresno, Riverside, and Tulare counties. These pre-deployed resources include 30 fire engines, four dozers, two helicopters, and approximately 230 personnel. These efforts ensure resources are available when seconds count, helping emergency personnel respond more quickly to small fires before they become major incidents.

Through the Ready California campaign, California is delivering heat safety messages statewide in Spanish, English, and 15 other languages.

Cal OES and state agencies are working with partners across the state to share critical, life-saving information to frontline communities, including information on cooling centers and heat-illness prevention.

Combating wildfires

Over the past month, CAL FIRE provided support to four states — Texas, Colorado, Oregon, and Washington — through various compacts and mutual‑aid agreements. Our response to help our neighbors in need included engines, dozers, overhead personnel, and an elite firefighting team, totaling over 200 personnel. 

In addition to assisting our partners out of state, CAL FIRE responded to more than 1,200 wildfires across California during this period, keeping 90% of fires under 10 acres.  

This month, CAL FIRE expanded the state’s wildfire detection capabilities with the deployment of six new ALERTCalifornia cameras in Central California. With more than 1,200 cameras across the state, CAL FIRE dispatchers, aided by artificial intelligence, have a powerful tool to identify potential fires as quickly as possible.

Other state agency partners also lend support during wildfire response. The California National Guard, through Task Force Rattlesnake, which are specialized Type I hand crews under CAL FIRE leadership, are an increasingly vital force multiplier as climate-driven wildfire risks intensify. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, also under CAL FIRE command, has deployed nearly 50 hand crews to fight fires within the state. 

In addition to CAL FIRE efforts, the California Conservation Corps is managing 10 fire crews working firelines and another 10 staffing and staging to respond at a moment’s notice. Three resource crews are supporting wildfire base camps across the state, totaling 349 staff and Corpsmembers, with four camp support crews currently deployed in Colorado and Washington.

State beaches and water safety

Offshore storm activity is driving large swells on California’s coast, with swells up to 11 feet anticipated in parts of southern California. The state urges Californians and visitors to practice caution. State Parks employs approximately 600 seasonal lifeguards each summer, and around 70 permanent lifeguards.

On average, State Park lifeguards make 1 million preventative actions and 10,000 rescues every year. Since July 1, 2026, lifeguards have performed 110,000 preventative actions, 3,600 rescues, and over 1,600 medical aids. Visit California State Parks’ swimming safety tips web page to learn how to stay safe.