Retired Coast Guard helicopter pilot details dangers for air crews fighting LA fires

As deadly wildfires rage and thousands of Los Angeles County residents flee for their lives, there are brave Americans heading into danger to fight the flames.

John Mixson, a retired US Coast Guard helicopter commander, knows the dangers that firefighting crews can pose. Crews resumed flights on Wednesday after being suspended since Tuesday evening.

“There are a lot of different risks involved that are unique to the work they do,” Maxson told Fox News Digital. “One of the most obvious ones is low altitude over hilly terrain in high wind conditions, which is what they’re dealing with right now.”

Air crews working to contain wildfires face several obstacles as well. Mixson pointed out that because of the smoke these workers must avoid other planes, places and everyday dangers like radio towers.

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In addition to stressful situations, firefighting aircraft operators must also handle populated areas with care. This means navigating the way to put out a fire while not sharing “personal property, but workers and life.”

Fire crews respond to destroyed homes as a helicopter drops water in the Palisades Fire in California on Jan. 7, 2025. (David Swanson/AFP via Getty Images)

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Despite the high stress of the job, which Mixson admitted is “challenging and very dangerous,” he expressed confidence in those battling devastating fires.

“The workers who do everything are highly trained, trained for a special job,” said Mxson. “This is not the second mission of Cal Fire people or any DoD people or Forest Service firefighters. Like the US Coast Guard, they’re very specialized in what they do. It’s very dangerous, very dangerous. It’s very challenging. But they’re also highly trained, specialized in a specific job. “

A firefighting plane drops Phos-Chek fire retardant as the Palisades Fire burns amid a powerful storm on Jan. 7, 2025, Pacific Palisades, California. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)

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Wildfires ravaging Los Angeles County have left five people dead and forced thousands to flee their homes. LA Mayor Karen Bass and California Governor Gavin Newsom are facing mounting criticism for their response to the tragedy. Bass, in particular, faced problems not only for being out of the country when the fire started, but for cutting the budget of his city’s fire department by $17 million.

On Thursday, LA County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone announced that the growth of the Eaton Fire has been “substantially stopped.” Wildfires have burned more than 29,000 acres as of midday Thursday, according to Cal Fire.

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