Calif: National Guard Deployed To Fight So-Cal Fires ‘Threatening

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Flames are visible as the Line Fire burns on September 9, 2024 near Yucaipa, California. Crews are working to contain the 21,000-acre wildfire in San Bernardino County as the fire is potentially threatening thousands of structures. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

OAN Staff Brooke Mallory
9:02 AM – Wednesday, September 11, 2024

In the midst of a triple-digit heatwave, firefighters and the state National Guard were fighting to contain three large wildfires that were raging throughout Southern California on Tuesday. The fires still remain a threat to thousands of homes, officials reported.

Extremely dry vegetation is fueling and quickly expanding the Airport Fire in Orange County, the Bridge Fire in Los Angeles County, and the Line Fire in San Bernardino County, according to officials.

Home and business properties were among the “65,600 structures” that the California Department of Forestry and Fire Prevention (Cal Fire) stated as of Tuesday afternoon were threatened by the Line Fire.

On Monday night, firefighters brought the fires under 5% containment, and Governor Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.) ordered the California National Guard into action to aid in the continuing efforts to extinguish them.

“We’re pouring resources into this incident aggressively by deploying more air and ground support through the California National Guard,” said Newsom in a statement. “This is on top of nearly 2,000 firefighters, nearly 200 engines, and air assets we already have tackling this fire. California stands with these communities and has their backs.”

The California National Guard will assist with the current response to the Line Fire, whose cause is still being looked into, according to Newsom. “Eighty troops, one military police company, and four 20-person teams” have been dispatched to the scene to help the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department with traffic control in areas that have been evacuated.

The National Guard uses a variety of resources, according to Newsom, including two C-130 planes equipped with Modular Airborne Fire Fighting Systems and four UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters for water bucket dropping missions.

“Stronger winds are predicted Tuesday which could help fire spread and contribute to longer range spotting. Mid-week cooling may moderate fire activity and increase fuel moistures,” Cal Fire said.

1,427 residences had to be evacuated after a significant fire in Southern California broke out in an unincorporated area of Orange County on Monday afternoon, according to Cal Fire. By Tuesday afternoon, 9,333 acres had burned in the rapidly spreading Airport Fire in Trabuco Canyon, in the hills southeast of Irvine, according to Cal Fire.

Cal Fire said that as of Tuesday afternoon, the fire was now ”0% controlled.”

At a press conference held late on Tuesday afternoon, officials said that 1,400 homes in Rancho Santa Margarita’s Robinson Ranch had to be evacuated since the fire was spreading south and approaching areas such as Lake Elsinore and Dove Canyon.

It was anticipated that, contingent on the weather and fire conditions, aviation and ground firefighting activities will continue through the night.

Mayor Carol Gamble of Rancho Santa Margarita advised locals to follow evacuation instructions, stressing that life safety comes first and property preservation comes second.

Officials reported that at least four individuals, including a couple hiking on a nearby route with their 3-year-old child, needed to be picked up and flown to safety. Officials reported that a man and his animals were also flown from their house to safety.

According to officials, the fire was posing a threat to numerous emergency communication towers on Santiago Peak within the fire zone, in addition to towers run by nearby media stations.