California National Guard Battling Wind Driven Blazes

Other state National Guard units are assisting California as well.

One of the aircraft being used to combat the fires in Southern California is the CH-47 Chinook helicopter, shown here on a previous firefighting mission. Photo courtesy: defenselink.mil

(SACRAMENTO) - More than 1,500 California National Guard men and women continue to provide area security, traffic control, and property protection for the Southern California wildfires.

The California National Guard Soldiers and airmen responded swiftly to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's call with various air and ground assets that are providing security, transportation, and humanitarian support by assisting local authorities.

The California National Guard has a total of six UH-60 Blackhawks (two Firehawks) and CNG CH-47 Chinook helicopters are being utilized to combat the fires in Southern California. All eight aircraft will have taken off to fight the blaze by 9:00 AM today from various locations.

The 146th Airlift Wing at Channel Islands Air National Guard Station is the supporting base for out-of-state aircraft equipped with the Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System (MAFFS).

A California Guard spokesperson says the personnel of the 146th are working around-the-clock to set-up and provide logistical and maintenance support to MAFFS operations.

Six C-130 aircraft fitted with the Modular Airborne Fire Fighting Systems are being sent to the Channel Islands Air National Guard Station. Two are from the Air Force Reserve at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, and four from the Air National Guard in Wyoming and North Carolina.

The UH-60 Blackhawk and the Firehawk are capable of fire suppression missions as well as personnel transport in and out of dangerous and hard to reach locations.

The California National Guard maintains its own operations center staffed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to ensure constant awareness of potential emergencies and provide rapid response if our assistance is needed.

"The California National Guard is actively engaged in responding to the wildfires in Southern California by providing assistance to local authorities and to the citizens of the affected communities," said Maj. Gen. William H. Wade II, the Adjutant General of the California National Guard. "We continue to do this through air assets and personnel and equipment on the ground. The CNG is proud of its ability to respond rapidly to those citizens affected by this horrible disaster."

The California National Guard is experienced in executing firefighting response missions, and recently conducted its annual three-day large-scale interagency wildfire training exercise near Fresno in May with Cal Fire and the USDA Forest Service.
Source: California National Guard