Wildfires burning in Los Angeles County have left five people dead and burned thousands of structures to the ground this week, becoming some of the most destructive the area has seen in decades.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna says the main priority for his staff is preserving life as crews continue to help with evacuations and fire mitigation. CBS News Los Angeles spoke to Luna about the life-saving efforts.

The failure of the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department’s computer-aided dispatch system in its vehicles had left deputies to resort to old methods as they responded to calls.