National Guard helps battle wildfires

  • Published
  • By Steven Donald Smith
  • American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON (AFPN) --  National Guard crews continue to assist Oklahoma and Texas firefighters in dousing wildfires that have now burned more than 600,000 acres in Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico.

Texas Air National Guard crews helped firefighters battle a 22,000-acre blaze that threatened more than 200 homes near Carbon, Texas, said Jack Harrison, a National Guard spokesman.

Since Texas Gov. Rick Perry issued a statewide disaster declaration Dec. 27, the Texas National Guard has deployed numerous crewmembers along with multiple UH-60 Black Hawk and CH-47 Chinook helicopters, Chief Master Sgt. Gonda Moncada said.

Also, at the request of the Department of Emergency Management, 19 Army Guard and two Air Guard servicemembers deployed with four bulldozers and tractor-trailers from the 7th Engineer Brigade, she said.

"Four Black Hawks assisted firefighters in Eastland County, and two Chinooks with larger, 2,000-gallon buckets supported firefighters in Eastland County, Texas, Jan. 1. The aircraft flew a total of seven and one-half hours and dropped a total of 17 buckets until nightfall," Chief Moncada said.

On Jan. 2 the Black Hawks ended the day with 38.9 flight hours and 321 water buckets dropped. Texas military forces also provided a C-130 Hercules to transport fire-retardant material to Oklahoma firefighters, Chief Moncada said.

To date, the Louisiana National Guard has provided three Black Hawks and 18 crewmembers, Mr. Harrison said. Each helicopter can carry 660 gallons of water.

"The quick response from Louisiana was the result of the Emergency Management Assistance Council 'Immediate Response' agreement signed by governors across the country," Chief Moncada said.

Reports indicate that the wildfires have destroyed almost 500 homes and killed four people so far.

A burn ban is in effect across Texas and Oklahoma, and the U. S. Forest Service is asking the public to exercise caution and report fires, even if they are minor.

There are no significant weather changes in the forecast, and drought conditions are expected to continue until the spring. Texas Army and Air National Guard members will continue to support firefighters as long as it takes get the wildfires under control, Chief Moncada said.