Earlier this week, nearly every local fire department sent staff down to help.

Rick Martinez heads Sacramento County’s Office of Emergency Services. He says California has a well-organized mutual aid system…and local departments are still well-staffed – for now.

"So as units move personnel down there, they are mindful that they have to maintain a level of service back home. But I will tell you I heard some discussion going on that people are going to try and cut that number more and more because we recognize that there’s a great deal of need in Southern California."   

Martinez says local emergency services officials will study the Southern California wildfires and apply what they learn from the disaster to local emergency response procedures.