In an hour we had made our way across the Santa Monica mountains and through the San Fernando Valley. At the crest of Topanga Canyon, a blanket of smoke covered the sky. Two plumes to the north were visable and also one to our east.

As we headed up interstate 5 towards the town of Castaic, right next to the ‘Grapevine’, helicopters and bombers crossed over, one after another. Nearby Lake Castaic provided a continuous supply and as the winds died down, it provided ample time for a massive aerial attack. I have covered my share of fires across the west and I have yet to see so many men and women fighting from above. We left an assault in Malibu and arrived 35 miles north to another bombardment.

We are on the move. The dangerous fire in Malibu has been knocked down, as firefighters made amazing progress. Air operations began at the first sign of light. I noticed two areas of fire that winds stoked throughout the morning. But the fire was burning down hill and lying low in the cooler overnight temperatures.

It’s amazing work done by firefighters here and as some of the aerial support begins to leave to help at other fires, we too are on our way out. We have quickly packed the truck and crew vehicle and now are on the road. We’ve taken Topanga Canyon to the 101 freeway in an effort to avoid LA traffic, which is a mess due to all the road closures. The idea is to get across the San Fernando Valley as quickly and as safely as possible. We’ve got our maps out, radio’s on and we’re back in cell service.