Golden State Today

California has deployed thousands of firefighters, with air and ground support, to combat the fast-growing Line Fire near the community of Highland in San Bernardino County.

Governor Gavin Newsom announced that the California National Guard will assist in the state’s ongoing response to the Line Fire in San Bernardino County. The activation, authorized under the Line Fire state of emergency, includes:

- Four UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters for water bucket dropping operations

- Two C-130 aircraft equipped with Modular Airborne Fire Fighting Systems (MAFFS)

- Four 20-person hand crews (80 soldiers) reporting to Camp Roberts for equipment distribution before being assigned to the Line Fire on Thursday in support of CAL FIRE

- One military police company to aid the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department with traffic control points in evacuated areas

“As the Line Fire continues to pose a threat to San Bernardino communities, we’re pouring resources into this incident aggressively by deploying more air and ground support through the California National Guard. 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,” said Governor Gavin Newsom.

In addition to air and ground support, Cal Guard is assigning one military police company for law enforcement support to assist the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office.

Governor Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency in San Bernardino County on Saturday and announced that California has secured a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). This grant aims to ensure vital resources are available for suppressing the fire.

The fast-moving Line Fire near Highland has burned more than 23,000 acres, forcing resident evacuations and threatening homes and critical infrastructure.