IRVINE, Calif. — Two Southern California firefighters suffered critical injuries Monday battling the fast-growing Silverado Fire near Irvine.

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Photos: Silverado Fire in Southern California forces thousands to evacuate Firefighter Tylor Gilbert puts out hotspots while battling the Silverado Fire, Monday, Oct. 26, 2020, in Irvine, Calif. A fast-moving wildfire forced evacuation orders for 60,000 people in Southern California on Monday as powerful winds across the state prompted power to be cut to hundreds of thousands to prevent utility equipment from sparking new blazes. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Orange County Fire Authority Chief Brian Fennessy confirmed the men suffered second- and third-degree burns and said both men were on ventilators when he visited them in the emergency room.

“They were not in a position where they could speak with me,” Fennessy said during a Monday news conference. “Our firefighters are some of the bravest in the world. This is a very hazardous job.”

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According to CNN, both men, ages 26 and 31, are part of the Orange County Fire Authority’s ground crew, which uses hand tools to stop wildfire flames from progressing.

A report filed with the California Public Utilities Commission indicates a Southern California Edison power line may have played a role in the ignition of the Silverado Fire, which combined with the new Blue Ridge Fire, prompted the evacuation of 90,000 people, the network reported.

Both blazes, spurred by the powerful Santa Ana winds, have zero containment, and the Silverado Fire had scorched more than 7,200 acres by Monday night, CBS News reported.

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