California fire chief uses milk and beer amid raging wildfires

A California fire chief employed an unconventional method to save two homes, including his brother's, during the recent wildfires. Orange County Fire Authority Chief Brian Fennessy resorted to using milk and beer after discovering there was no water available in the hose while battling the Eaton Fire in Altadena.

Fennessy initially assured his brother and friends they would be "fine" when the fire broke out on Tuesday. However, as the flames approached his childhood neighborhood, he grew concerned when he lost contact with his brother. Upon arriving at the scene, Fennessy found that multiple homes were already engulfed in flames, though his brother's home and a neighboring residence remained intact.

In a desperate attempt to cool down a melting gas meter near the homes, Fennessy entered one of the residences to find anything that could help. He discovered milk and beer in the refrigerator and used them to cool off the meter. "I thought I'll check the refrigerator and all that was in there was some milk and a couple beers," he said.

His efforts proved successful as these were among the only homes left standing amidst the destruction. Fennessy remarked on how unlikely it was for firefighters to arrive in time due to ongoing conditions: "This was a situation (where) you call 911, it’s unlikely we were gonna be there."

The fire chief expressed concern over Southern California's increasing wildfire frequency, describing it as potentially becoming "our new reality." The fires have been exacerbated by strong Santa Ana winds, resulting in over 40,000 acres burned and thousands evacuated since early January.

As of Friday morning, Cal Fire reported that the Palisades Fire was 27% contained while progress on containing the Eaton Fire stood at 55%. These fires have led to at least 27 fatalities and widespread destruction across residential areas.