Firefighters from Montgomery County headed to California

PORTER, Texas (KTRK) -- As firefighters, answering calls for help is at the heart of what they do.

In the case of four members of the Porter Fire Dept., they're answering a call from 1,600 miles away.

Since Aug. 15, California fire officials said more than 12,000 lightning strikes across the state have ignited more than 500 wildfires. Of those, about two dozen major fires were attracting most of the state's resources. Most of the damage was caused by three clusters of fire "complexes" that were ravaging forest and rural areas in and around the San Francisco Bay Area. They have burned 1,120 square miles.

Saturday's departure of Porter firefighters isn't the first time Texans have answered the call to help other states. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott deployed hundreds of Texas firefighters to southern California in 2018.

The quartet of first responders from Montgomery County is expected to receive their assignment over the next couple of days.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.