This year has been particularly bad for forest fires, and nowhere is that more evident than in northern California, where flames have been decimating iconic Yosemite National Park. As first responders work to save this natural landmark from the blaze, they are getting some help from the local National Guard, according to the Army's official website.
The Guard has been providing assistance both in the form of helicopter crews and airtankers to provide support from the sky. Specifically, seven Black Hawk helicopters have been used to douse the flames as is a CH-47 Chinook helicopter. Additionally, one Black Hawk is on call to be used to evacuate in the case of a medical emergency. Since they were activated Aug. 17, the helicopters have dropped more than 111,500 gallons of water.
"We train for this fight every year," Maj. Gen. David S. Baldwin, adjutant general of the California National Guard, told the website. "Our ongoing coordination with CAL FIRE and CAL OES [California Office of Emergency Services] ensures that the right people, with the right training, are in the right place when the lives and property of our fellow Californians are on the line."
Despite the efforts, the Yosemite fire has continued to grow in recent days. According to CNN, the fire is at just 20 percent containment.