Special therapy dogs stood with their handlers in an orderly row in Irvine, California, on Nov. 11. They gathered to send off firefighters who were headed to join in the battle against wildfires near Thousand Oaks.
The group of therapy dogs, called LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs, were also on hand to bestow hugs and kisses before the firefighters of Orange County Fire Authority drove away.
The deadly Woolsey wildfire in the Thousand Oaks and Malibu areas is one of a flurry of blazes in Southern California. The fires have claimed two live and was 47 percent contained as of early Nov. 14, fire officials said.
The fire had destroyed more than 400 structures and, at its height, displaced about 200,000 people in the mountains and foothills west of Los Angeles. About 97,600 acres have been torched.
The blaze was the most notable of the Southern California wildfires that coincided with Butte County's killer "Camp Fire" in the northern part of the state that has killed at least 56 people—the state's deadliest-ever fire.
The search for victims' remains in the charred ruins of the northern California town of Paradise was set to expand on Nov. 14, while firefighters stepped up efforts to contain the Camp Fire.
Research suggests that therapy dogs can reduce stress, as well as symptoms of depression and anxiety in humans. They can also encourage a sense of trust and connection in different situations.
"For example, an individual might be encouraged to gently pat or talk to a dog to teach sensitive touch and help them be calm," they wrote.
Therapy dogs are not service dogs. A service dog is one that assists its owner exclusively, to support people with disabilities such as those with visual impairment, hearing difficulties, or mobility issues.