For Veteran ‘Hotshot’ Firefighter, California’s Catastrophic Fires Are Personal

‘This is the worst I’ve ever seen it,’ says Greg Stenmo, a battalion chief with the Angeles National Forest.

Greg Stenmo, a battalion chief with the Angeles National Forest, in Pasadena, Calif., on Jan. 16, 2024. Beige Luciano-Adams/The Epoch Times

PASADENA, Calif.—On a recent frigid morning, more than a thousand first responders gathered at the Rose Bowl stadium for a daily briefing before heading out to battle a fire that has decimated nearby communities at the edge of the Los Angeles National Forest.

The stadium grounds are now a central command for fire crews from all over the Western region, as well as the law enforcement and military personnel that are stationed throughout evacuation zones.