State of emergency declared as Boyle Heights fire continues to burn

A major firefighting effort continued at a cold storage facility as authorities deployed heavy-lift helicopters capable of dropping thousands of gallons of water and a structural firefighting robot to combat flames and suppress dangerous flare-ups.

Officials said the county brought in CH-47 Chinook helicopters, which can drop up to 3,000 gallons of water at a time. Earlier in the response, the city relied on smaller helicopters that delivered only a fraction of that volume. Authorities also said the county aircraft can deploy a fire-suppressing gel, expected to help extinguish flames still burning on the top and roof of the building.

Aerial drops were halted overnight, but ground crews continued working to contain the fire amid concerns about structural instability. Authorities said crews remained on scene at the facility, maintaining water flow as conditions evolved.

The Los Angeles Fire Department said ground teams were using a structural firefighting robot to help suppress flare-ups in areas that may be too dangerous for personnel.

"Firefighter safety remains the top priority, as crews have identified areas of wall instability due to the significant volume of water being applied to the structure," the department said.

LAFD Chief Jaime Moore called the fire "very unique" and said crews were using water-dropping helicopters for a structure fire - which are more commonly used for brush fires - but the size of the warehouse necessitated the aerial operation.

Moore said he has been with the department 31 years and this was only the second time he could recall aerial water drops being used to battle a structure fire. The previous incident occurred about six years ago in Echo Park.

"These are unprecedented tactics that are being used," Moore said. "And so when people are asking, what is our fire department doing? To be very aggressive and improve the situations. This is an example of this."

Officials said aerial suppression operations concluded for the evening, but ground crews would remain actively engaged overnight using large volumes of water and specialized equipment, including the firefighting robot.

Authorities added that smoke conditions are expected to change as weather patterns shift and suppression efforts continue, while crews monitor the building for further instability.

City News Service contributed to this report.

California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency Saturday for Los Angeles County in response to the ongoing warehouse fire in the Boyle Heights area, directing state agencies to support local response efforts and help protect public health and safety.

"While local officials continue to lead this response, the State of California is prepared to help safeguard public health, support emergency operations, and assist impacted residents," Newsom said in a statement. "We are coordinating closely with our local partners, deploying specialized expertise, and pre-positioning critical supplies so communities have the support they need both now and throughout recovery."

Local officials have not requested additional state resources, according to the governor's statement, but the state has pre-positioned and made available public health and emergency response assets should in case they are needed.

Those resources include:

-5.5 million N95 respirator masks available for distribution to impacted communities.
-Commercial-grade air purifiers available for deployment to evacuation centers, community facilities, and other public spaces.
-Bottled water and other emergency supplies available through the state's logistics network.
-Enhanced air quality monitoring and technical support resources.

Fire crews remain on the scene of a stubborn warehouse fire in Boyle Heights, where challenging conditions inside the building continue to hinder containment efforts and raise concerns about the scale of the aftermath.

Officials acknowledged the situation is more complex than initially reported. Early assessments suggested the cold storage facility primarily housed bread products, but investigators later determined that large quantities of meat and other perishable goods are also stored inside.

Authorities say the facility stores an estimated 85 million pounds of food, including meat, poultry and bread products. Since the blaze compromised the building's refrigeration systems, much of that inventory is now warming and beginning to spoil as internal temperatures climb to around 45 degrees.

The resulting conditions have made it unsafe for firefighters to enter, forcing crews to battle the fire defensively from the outside as it burns on for several days.

Lineage, the company behind the cold storage facility has multiple facilities across Southern California and several facilities just in the areas of Boyle Heights and nearby downtown Los Angeles alone.

Beyond the active firefight, authorities are already bracing for a massive cleanup operation once the blaze is contained. Crews will have to remove and dispose of thousands of tons of spoiled food, a process expected to require extensive coordination and transport to area landfills.

For now, firefighters continue working to contain the fire while monitoring the evolving conditions inside the warehouse.

South Coast Air Quality Management District officials have extended a special Particle Pollution Advisory through 12:30 p.m. Sunday due to a large structure fire in Boyle Heights that continues to affect air quality east of downtown Los Angeles and in parts of the San Gabriel Valley.

A special Particle Pollution Advisory was extended through 12:30 p.m. Sunday as the Boyle Heights structure fire continues to affect air quality.

Regulatory monitors and sensors have detected elevated levels of fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, since Friday night. Air quality conditions have ranged from "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups" to "Very Unhealthy" on the Air Quality Index in central Los Angeles County, the San Gabriel Valley, the eastern San Fernando Valley and the northwest San Bernardino Valley.

Officials emphasized that the advisory is not a shelter-in-place order. The Los Angeles County Fire Department is leading the response to the fire, and residents are encouraged to follow any recommendations issued by that agency.

Health officials advise that individuals who see or smell smoke should remain indoors with doors and windows closed. Using air conditioning or an air purifier is recommended, while evaporative coolers, or "swamp coolers," and whole-house fans that bring in outside air should be avoided if possible.

People experiencing health effects are urged to contact Los Angeles County public health authorities.

The advisory remains in effect as crews continue to respond to the fire and monitor air quality conditions across the region.