Governor tours Malibu and other fire areas. Additional resources from Northern California, Oregon, Nevada and Arizona have been requested.
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today directed the California National Guard (CNG) to make 1,500 guardsmen available to support the firefighting efforts in Southern California. The 1,500 guardsmen, including 200 troops currently patrolling the California/Mexico border, will be deployed at the direction of the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services to areas where they can have the greatest impact.
“It is a tragic time for California. I saw the tremendous devastation caused by these fires first hand today and I want to commend all of the brave firefighters that have been battling the blazes around our state. They have done an extraordinary job,” said Governor Schwarzenegger. “We have the best-trained, the best-equipped and the most experienced firefighters in the world and I am committed to making all of the state’s resources available to them to get these fires under control. That is why I have declared a state of emergency and directed the National Guard to support the firefighters in Southern California.
“I urge everyone to follow the directions and evacuation orders issued by the emergency personnel,” he added.
Schwarzenegger yesterday requested four CNG helicopters through OES to support the firefighting efforts of numerous Southern California wildfires. The four aircraft are currently on stand-by at Mather Air Field (1 Firehawk) and Los Alamitos Joint Forces Training Base (3 UH-60 Blackhawks). 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 CNG is experienced in executing firefighting response missions and recently conducted their annual three-day large-scale interagency wildfire training exercise near Fresno in May with CAL FIRE and the USDA Forest Service.
The governor was briefed on the strained resources used to battle the wind-driven fires ravaging Southern California counties by state and local fire and law enforcement officials in an incident command trailer next to Malibu’s public library Monday morning.
The governor was joined by Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca, Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, California Fire Chief Ruben Grijalva, and Kim Zagaris, the state fire and rescue chief for the governor’s office of emergency services.
“The Santa Ana winds are a huge problem for us,” Grijalva said.
Ventura County Fire Department Chief Bob Roper pointed out the locations of two fires burning in Ventura County on a map laid out before the governor.
“Particularly troublesome is the Ranch Fire in Castaic, moving northeast to Piru and Val Verde,” he said.
Zigaris said the California National Guard was asked to provide additional helicopters, and two DC-10s were being used to battle the biggest fire, the Buckweed Fire in Saugus.
Nevada and Oregon have also been asked to send resources in the form of engines and two DC-7s. Oregon is sending the DC-7s, Zigaris said.
After the press conference, Schwarzenegger toured the charred remains of Malibu Presbyterian Church, which was destroyed Sunday.
He was joined by Baca, Yaroslavsky, Assemblywoman Julia Brownley, (D-Malibu), Malibu Mayor Pro Tem Pamela Conley Ulich and Grijalva.
As the governor walked among the ruins surveying the destruction, Grijalva said resources in the state were not “totally drawn down.”
Equipment and personnel from Northern California were on the way down to help bolster the strained ranks in Southern California.
Eight out of nine helicopters, and 17 of 23 air tankers in the state were being directed to the fires in Southern California.
“It’s tragic,” Schwarzenegger said of the wind-driven fires as he prepared to leave the church. He added that “we have weather conditions that are perfect for huge fires.”