Firefighters from around the US support Southern California

When the fires started burning in Los Angeles this month, firefighters from around the country streamed into California to help, including Kelly Martin.

Kelly has been fighting wildfires and advocating for the health of firefighters for years. She co-founded the advocacy group Grassroots Wildland Firefighters, was Chief of Fire and Aviation at Yosemite National Park, has chaired two National Wildfire Coordinating Group programs and has just completed a six-year term as a Board Member of the International Association of Wildland Fire with her final two years as President.

Kelly spoke to Boise State Public Radio – Idaho Matters from the fireground in Los Angeles this week.

She has spent many years fighting fires in California but, she admits, she has never seen anything like this. “It is really beyond anything that I have seen in my career…it looks almost apocalyptic is some areas, I think that is a fair assessment.”