An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : News : Article View
NEWS | Oct. 26, 2007

National Guard support to Southern California's wildfires

By National Guard Bureau

ARLINGTON, Va. - The National Guard continues to lean forward in response to the wildfires in southern California.

As the first military responder to the disaster, the National Guard will remain on scene supporting the governor of California until the crisis ends.

"[This has] been probably the most proactive response to a domestic event that I have seen in my 40 years in uniform," said Lt. Gen. H Steven Blum, chief of the National Guard Bureau. "And we continue to be flexible and agile to meet the needs of Gov. Schwarzenegger and the citizens of California."

The National Guard is maximizing the use of the Emergency Management Assistance Compacts that are in place with surrounding states. Today, Oregon National Guard is prepared to provide one UH-60 and one Firehawk and Arizona will provide two UH-60s, if requested.

Below is a list of other personnel and equipment provided to the governor by the Army and Air National Guard this week:

  • As of today, the total National Guard response is 2,562 California Army and Air National Guard members. The initial request by Schwarzenegger was for 1,500 personnel. Over 17,000 California troops are still available to respond if needed.
  • Types of missions conducted by National Guard: firefighting, security, support to law enforcement, interoperable communications, transportation, medical support and command and control.
  • Aviation support: Three UH-60 Blackhawks, two Firehawks and two Ch-47s operating from several airfields in California. About 40 hours flown and about 244,000 gallons of water dropped.
  • MAFFS: National Guard C-130 crews and aircraft, with MAFFS have flown 12 missions dropping 32,400 gallons of retardant in the last 24 hours on wildfires in San Diego.
  • Imagery collection: An RC-26B aircraft with full motion video downlink from the 147th Fighter Wing of the Texas Air National Guard has deployed to Naval Air Station North Island to provide imagery to the incident site commander.
  • Search and Rescue: Two HH-60s from the 129th Rescue Wing of the California Air National Guard have been moved to Los Alamitos to provide support as needed.
  • Security Operations: The 40th Infantry Brigade is currently providing support to local law enforcement agencies as part of Task Force San Diego.
  • Family Assistance Programs have been established at three evacuation centers.
  • Religious Support Teams: Four are providing support at area shelters. About 19 are available from the National Guard if needed.

For more information on these operations, call the National Guard Bureau public affairs office at (703) 607-5934 or the California National Guard public affairs office at (916) 854-3304.

 

 

Related Articles
Senior Airman Alexa Reeves, 105th Security Support Squadron Phoenix Raven, poses for a photo in front of a Raven painting, at Stewart Air National Guard Base, New York, Mar. 3, 2025. As a Raven, Reeves provides protection for the 105th Airlift Wing’s C-17 Globemaster III aircraft and crews transiting through austere locations where security is unknown or additional security is needed to counter higher threat levels. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Airman Sarah Post)
New York Air Guard’s Journey to Becoming a Phoenix Raven
By Senior Airman Sarah Post, | April 30, 2025
STEWART AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, N.Y. – Alexa Reeves never expected that her decision to join the New York Air National Guard after high school would lead to becoming a member of Air Mobility Command’s specially trained...

Lt. Gen. Jon Stubbs, director of the Army National Guard, speaks with Virginia National Guard Soldiers and Airmen during the 2025 annual Virginia National Guard Military Ball on April 26 in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
Lt. Gen. Jon Stubbs Highlights Virginia National Guard Excellence at Military Ball
By Maj. Cibeles Ramirez-Rodriguez, | April 30, 2025
Virginia Beach, Va. — Lt. Gen. Jonathan "Jon" Stubbs, director of the Army National Guard, joined Virginia National Guard leaders, Soldiers, Airmen and families at the 2025 annual Virginia National Guard Military Ball on...

President Santiago Peña, the President of the Republic of Paraguay, left, presents the Order of Merit
Paraguayan President Awards Top Honor to Massachusetts National Guard General
By Senior Airman Julia Ahaesy, | April 29, 2025
ASUNCION, Paraguay – U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Gary W. Keefe, adjutant general of the Massachusetts National Guard, has been awarded the distinguished Order of Merit “Gral Div Bernardino Caballero” in the grade of “Gran Cross”...