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Schwarzenegger directs Guard to battle fires

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has directed 1,500 California National Guard troops to be available to support efforts to fight at least 14 wildfires in the southern part of the state, according to a news release from the National Guard Bureau.

The troops include 200 Guard members who were patrolling the California-Mexico border as part of Operation Jump Start, a mission to help the Customs and Border Protection Border Patrol keep illegal immigrants from entering the U.S.

More than 200 troops were sent to help evacuate residents in San Diego. About 100 were sent to Qualcomm Stadium, home of the San Diego Chargers, and 100 others were sent to Del Mar Fairgrounds.

The governor also requested that four California Guard helicopters be available to help firefighting efforts. As of Monday night, most of the troops remained on standby, and they will deploy at the direction of the governor’s Office of Emergency Services.

At least 300,000 people along 150 miles between San Diego and Malibu were warned to leave their homes by Tuesday because of the wildfires. At least one person was killed and dozens more injured by the fires, which covered nearly 246,000 acres, or 384 square miles. Evacuees included members of a National Guard unit who had to flee their barracks.

In addition, at least 655 homes and 168 businesses were burned as of Monday night, and thousands of other buildings were threatened in a seven-county area.

On Tuesday, the North Carolina Air National Guard deployed three C-130 cargo aircraft, flight crews and support personnel to help fight the California fires. The aircraft belong to the 145th Airlift Wing at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport.