As wildfires rage, men who make up community fire crews have strong message for Newsom
A Malibu Community Fire Department member who helped save nearly a dozen homes during the Palisades Fire said that while communities can come together to save property during natural disasters, California officials need to do more to contain wildfires.
Local surfer Matt Diamond formed the team in his community after the 2018 Woolsey fire. 300,000 people evacuated because of what he called the need to be “self-sustaining” to keep firefighters alive.
“We didn’t have any fire support and all Malibu residents had to come together,” Diamond told Fox News Digital. “We stayed, but the city manager wouldn’t allow resources to come in, so we had to vote on the terms. We threw the axe, Shovels, firefighting equipment, food and water were shipped to Paradise Cove and we set up a makeshift camp and began patrolling the neighborhood, conducting live fire inspections and saving neighbors’ homes.
Now, he said, the Los Angeles Fire Department sees its crews as a vital resource in saving homes and managing fires because firefighters brought in from elsewhere don’t know the area.
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Malibu surfer Matt Diamond was part of a community fire crew that saved 10 homes during the California wildfires.
Diamond followed fire trucks to Sunset and Pacific Coast Highways when the fire broke out Tuesday and noticed the fire was condensing in the Palisades. He said he returned to Malibu and encountered the flames in Tuna Canyon.
“It was very dark and [the wildfire] “He moves about a quarter of a mile every 30 minutes,” he said.
On January 8, 2025, the Palisades Fire broke out along the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, California, and a beach house was engulfed in flames. (Augustin Paulier/AFP via Getty Images)
He went home and packed his belongings, which included some surfboards.
“I’ve been big wave surfing on a professional level and I have a big competition coming up so I need these boards,” Diamond said. “I’d been working hard and these were the best-shaped boards in the world. I took them to the beach with my drum set and music equipment, and then I came home and the fire went right through me.” House, Surrounded by stunning sights – it’s an immersive experience.
Diamond began working with Santa Barbara firefighters to help protect his home and community. He said he helped “persuade” them to keep his position.
The next morning everything was still burning. He said many of his friends from the Palisades lost their homes that night.
“All my friends who are big musicians, in some of the biggest bands in the world, have lost all their Grammys,” he said. “The biggest producers in the world who had done the biggest projects, from music to TV and movies, had the most amazing memorabilia you’d ever seen. And it just disappeared. I was just looking at it. The Beatles of beautiful things, the craziest souvenirs of the Woodstock era in the ’60s – all gone.
Diamond said that while the team saved about 10 homes, the domino effect was the most important part – saving one house saved four surrounding homes.
On Wednesday, January 8, 2025, the Palisades Fire destroyed an oceanfront property in Malibu, California. (AP Photo/Etienne Laurent)
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The city of Malibu confirmed in a statement Thursday that one resident died in the Palisades Fire.
“This is a painful reminder of the profound impact this fire has had on our community,” officials wrote. “Malibu is more than just a city — we are neighbors, friends and family. Even if we don’t know it Someone’s name is known and their loss is felt by all of us. In times like this, we must come together to support each other and show the resilience of our communities.”
Diamond encourages every community to contact local first responders and establish communication with officials.
Matt Diamond takes photos of damage during wildfires in Malibu, California. (Matt Diamond)
Using walkie-talkies and satellite wireless phones to create a community’s own lines of communication can also be very beneficial during times of crisis, he said.
“You get the right clothing and training and you’re prepared, and you can save your community,” Diamond said. “We’re just going to have more natural disasters. It’s just going to keep happening. This is climate evolution, it’s It’s here to stay and it’s only going to grow. It’s powerful and necessary to educate yourself and arm yourself to help your community.
Growing up, he remembers seeing a lot of brush fires. He remembers the forestry and fire management departments setting up fire breaks.
Strong winds fueled devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles area, forcing evacuations and leaving burned buildings in ruins, in Malibu, California, on January 8, 2025. (Daniel Cole/Reuters)
Diamond acknowledged that sometimes prescribed burns can get out of hand, but said they are needed to protect the whole.
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“[The government is] In a sense, a little shy to do what is needed right,” he said. “Suppose two houses were burned down, [the government] sued by two people, while 1,000 families [gone] Because you’re not doing these controlled burns. governor [Gavin Newsom] This needs to be attacked because everyone is pretty much at their mercy. Get rid of the bureaucracy and just do what needs to be done.
