'Just so surreal': Winnipeg firefighter joins wildfire battle while vacationing in L.A.

A firefighter from Winnipeg, who was on vacation in Los Angeles, unexpectedly joined the fight against one of the most destructive wildfires in Los Angeles history.

Winnipeg Fire Lt. Romeo Petty, who has more than two decades of experience, was with his girlfriend near Pasadena when wildfires began spreading across California's coast.

In an interview with Winnipeg's CTV Morning Live, he said:
"We knew there was a forest fire around us, but we didn't think it would reach where we were staying."

However, on Tuesday night, Patty noticed a fire had engulfed a mountain near a friend's house where they were staying.
They quickly gathered their belongings and left the area and crossed the main road, which was the only commuting route of the community.

He said:
“As we were climbing the hill, we saw the fire on the mountain. Winds were blowing at 80 mph. I had never seen anything like it. It was really unbelievable. "I was thinking that people are going to lose their homes."

After moving the belongings to a safe place, Patty, his girlfriend and another friend decided to return to the area to help evacuate others.

They returned to a completely different scene.
"All we could see was an orange glow surrounding us."

Although Petty had no training in fighting wildfires, he knew he had to wet the ground before the fire arrived to prevent sparks from starting the fire.

With a mask on his face and a garden hose, he and his group went door to door and drenched the ground and houses with water to increase the area's chances of survival.

At one point, Petty climbed onto the roof of a partially burning house and tried to save the remaining parts.
He said:
“I just started spraying water. I was removing the ceiling boards to stop the fire from spreading. Because many people here do not have fire insurance. "If they lose their homes, they will have nothing left."

This group was able to save that house and other houses. During the hours of fighting the fire, Patty acted as the unofficial fire chief, with his girlfriend and another friend, who had no firefighting experience, acting as his deputies.

He considered his instincts, the result of years of experience in firefighting, to be the reason for the day's success.
However, the experience was uncomfortable and scary for the seasoned firefighter.

He said:
"It was a humbling experience. "I feel sorry for everyone who lost their homes and loved ones here."

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