Assemblywoman Christy Smith, D-Santa Clarita, has expressed her commitment to stand with the communities impacted by the Saddleridge Fire.

Late Thursday night, the Saddleridge Fire broke out in Sylmar and quickly spread to the neighborhoods of Porter Ranch, Granada Hills and Chatsworth in the 38th Assembly District, represented by Smith. The Assemblywoman issued the following statement regarding the Saddleridge Fire:

“My heart is with the people of the 38th Assembly District and the surrounding communities plagued by this fire, which has brought fear and/or destruction to all three Valleys I represent — San Fernando Valley, Santa Clarita Valley and Simi Valley. As the fire becomes contained, please continue to heed all orders from public safety officers.

See Related: UPDATE: One Person Confirmed Dead As Result Of Saddleridge Fire In Sylmar

“We don’t have all the facts yet, but we saw the many challenges we face when responding to wildfires, especially evacuation centers at overcapacity within minutes of establishment, our firefighting resources and their effectiveness in dispelling vicious flames and the dynamic way in which this fire spread — making it difficult for people to evacuate quickly. As Chair of the Joint Legislative Committee on Emergency Management, I will bring these issues to the California State Legislature. We must continue to learn how to sharpen our emergency response.

See Related: Saddleridge Fire: What To Do To Prepare For Evacuations

“We owe the deepest gratitude to our fearless firefighters, first responders and law enforcement officers putting our lives before their own. We’re also thankful to Governor Gavin Newsom, who issued a State of Emergency and to the White House, for allocating funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). We’re also reminded our community has a strong foundation of compassion in the volunteers stationed at every evacuation center and neighbors rushing to dropping off essentials.

“We are getting through this, and we will get through this.”

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