The citizen fire brigade that helped fight the Palisades fire is growing. Is it worth the risk?

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A local fire brigade made up of citizen volunteers became famous during the Palisades fires in January.

Since then, the Community Brigade has received hundreds of applications from locals wishing to join.

While the group clearly provides valuable fire-prevention services, some experts worry that its day-of firefighting efforts are not worth the risks.

When a column of smoke rose above Pacific Palisades on January 7, a couple dozen residents of the Santa Monica Mountains, instead of evacuating, jumped into their own fire engines. The Community Brigade raced door to door ordering residents to evacuate, stamped out spot fires and transported animals (including koi fish) to safety.