Los Angeles wildfires: Elon Musk personally delivers Starlinks to California first responders

FIRST ON FOX: SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk is donating Starlinks to those in need of Wi-Fi in California amid devastating wildfires that have left residents without internet or cellphone service.

Nonprofit rescue group Grey Bull Rescue met with Musk and first responders over the weekend to help set up the Starlink devices, which connect to satellites, in the Los Angeles area.

"Effective communication is essential in any crisis, war, or disaster—especially in remote and devastated areas where communication infrastructure is destroyed like we see here in California," Grey Bull Rescue Chair Bryan Stern told Fox News Digital in a Monday statement. "Yesterday, Grey Bull Rescue was honored to assist the Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACFD) by securing Starlink mini units to provide them with critical communications in areas devastated by wildfires."

Stern noted, however, that LACFD and other emergency services agencies in California "have been asking for Starlink for quite some time for expressly this type of scenario," but red tape got "in the way of this mission-critical need of effective disaster communications for first responders."

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Musk announced the Starlink donations on Jan. 9. On Sunday, the billionaire Tesla founder and CEO said that he would be donating Cybertrucks to impacted areas as well.

"Apologies to those expecting Cybertruck deliveries in California over the next few days," he wrote on X, which he owns. "We need to use those trucks as mobile base stations to provide power to Starlink Internet terminals in areas of LA without connectivity. A new truck will be delivered end of week."

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Grey Bull Rescue said LACFD had requested help with a "mission-critical gap" for internet.

"[Six] hours later, via Grey Bull Rescue, the problem was solved with the gold standard in austere environment communications: Starlink," Stern said. "Hearing about the need, Elon Musk then visited with Grey Bull Rescue and the LACFD at their staging site and personally delivered hundreds more additional Starlink minis, demonstrating his commitment to supporting rescue efforts."

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Grey Bull Rescue volunteers rely on Starlink internet for their missions "in some of the most communication-denied environments in the world," Stern said.

Musk also donated numerous Starlinks in the western North Carolina region after Hurricane Helene in late September left thousands without power or internet for days, making it difficult for survivors to contact first responders and loved ones.

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"In addition to improving connectivity for first responders, the Grey Bull Rescue team has been on the ground since [day one] of the wildfires, working side by side with first responders to support them in the safe evacuation of residents and delivering critical humanitarian aid," the Grey Bull Rescue chair explained.

"In moments like these, every action and every minute counts. We are committed to helping wherever we can, in any way we can, to assist those who have been impacted by this catastrophic disaster."

The wildfires that have been burning for a week in Southern California have reduced entire neighborhoods to ash and killed at least 24 people. The Palisades Fire, the Eaton Fire and the Hurst Fire were the three active wildfires in L.A. County as of Monday.