More than 900 Guard troops help fight California fires; some VA hospitals delay procedures
Firefighter Alex DeLeon, of South Lake Tahoe, Calif., bundles up against the cold wind on a ridge between Sonoma and Lake County as the Kincade fire burns, Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2019, in northern California.
KENT PORTER/THE PRESS DEMOCRAT VIA AP
By ROSE L. THAYER | STARS AND STRIPES Published: October 30, 2019
The California National Guard now has more than 900 troops helping combat the wildfires burning in northern parts of the state.
The Guard had deployed about 470 members Monday to help battling the fires. By Wednesday, the number of Guard members was doubled to assist fighting the 76,000-acre Kincade Fire in Sonoma County, said Lt. Col. Jonathan Shiroma, spokesman for the California National Guard.
Troop levels increased in part because a new group of Guard members arrived to offer relief for service members who initially deployed.
“There is some relief in place happening,†Shiroma said.
https://www.stripes.com/news/us/more-than-900-guard-troops-help-fight-california-fires-some-va-hospitals-delay-procedures-1.605259
