Bay Area firefighters reminded of 2017 North Bay firestorm as they head to LA

SANTA ROSA, Calif. (KGO) -- The devastation in Doug Hofmann's Altadena neighborhood is unimaginable. On Tuesday night, the Sonoma County native says he saw the beginning of the so-called Eaton Fire erupt on the mountainside just behind his Los Angeles area home.

"We immediately started going door-to-door in the neighborhood. Got everyone out of their homes. And by the time I finished, the immediate neighborhood on my block, the entire mountain was completely covered in flames," Hofmann said.

Luckily, Hofmann and his family were able to evacuate to safety.

He says this isn't the first time his family has had close encounters with devastating fire storms.

Back in 2017, his parents had to flee the Tubbs Fire.

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"Seeing a home burning in front of you, the heat that's generated from it. And the sound of a home burning is something that is just other worldly," said Hofmann.

The Eaton Fire is one of several currently burning in the Los Angeles area. The widespread chaos are putting extreme strain on fire resources.

It's an experience that Santa Rosa Fire Marshal Paul Lowenthal says reminds him of situations local fire crews faced back in 2017 and 2018.

"Strike teams that were strategically staged in Southern California ahead of this windstorm. And now we're seeing that surge of additional strike teams and task forces from Northern California getting pushed to the south to help them out," Lowenthal said.

Lowenthal says two strike teams have already made their way down to LA and another task force will join them Wednesday afternoon.

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That means a total of 15 local engines will be assisting in the firefighting efforts.

"The winds have the ability to limit the air resources, where sometimes they're not only ineffective but it could be unsafe. And it makes those ground resources that much more critical," said Lowenthal.

Lowenthal says at this point in time, fire crews' focus is on saving lives.

And with the fires nowhere being under control, Hofmann is thankful for all the help they can get.

"These are the things that we're going to have to prepare for and contend with, these kind of mass devastation events," Hofmann said.