MOFFETT FEDERAL AIRFIELD, Calif. - Twenty-eight Airmen of Task Force Bucket who were supporting Operation Lightning Strike returned here today after nearly two weeks of training and fighting the Telegraph Fire near Yosemite National Forest north of Fresno.
More than 200 Air National Guardsmen from California were the second wave of 2,000 Guard firefighters called up July 11 by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to combat wildfires that have scorched more than a million acres across the state since late June.
"From ground firefighting to water bucket drops and search and rescue support, we are proud to have assisted with the firefighting efforts in our state," said Col. Amos Bagdasarian, 129th Rescue Wing Commander. "The ground firefighting was a new mission for the wing, but our Airmen were ready and motivated to help."
Using the training they received at the McClellan Wildland Training Center, the Airmen created fire breaks and containment lines behind type one firefighters.
The 129th Airmen arrived at the McClellan Wildfire Training Center July 23 where they received classroom and hands-on training from Bureau of Land Management instructors. They were taught the basics of fire behavior, safety and containment. Task Force Bucket also received cold line training at the Butte Lightning Complex located in Butte County east of Chico.
In addition to ground support personnel, the 129th RQW has an HH-60G Pave Hawk crew and pararescue team on search and rescue alert in Redding, Calif. The 129th crew medically evacuated one firefighter July 31 and rescued another Aug. 4.