photo credit: NASA Johnson Space Center
Hurricane Milton traveling over the Gulf of Mexico before making
landfall on Florida's west coast.

Governor Gavin Newsom on Wednesday deployed more California first responders to Florida, including some from the Bay Area, to aid in the response to Hurricane Milton.

By Thursday, more than 3 million people remained without power in Florida.

The storm had reached Category 5 wind speeds in the Gulf of Mexico, but slowed to a Category 3 at landfall and then Category 1 as it exited the state.

An additional 70 firefighters joined 144 already sent from California to help with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, which ravaged multiple Southern states on Sept. 27.

Firefighters dispatched from Orange County and the Menlo Park Fire Protection District include "highly specialized" personnel trained in structural collapse and flood environments, Newsom's office said.

In total, California has now deployed 354 first responders to the disaster zone.

Last Friday, PG&E sent over 400 personnel and 300 vehicles to Georgia to provide mutual aid to areas impacted by Helene.

On Tuesday, PG&E said it would reassign personnel and vehicles to Daytona Beach, Florida, to support power restoration efforts after Milton passes through the area.