Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday approved the release of 150 National Guard troops in California to help battle wildfires in the state, amid its annual wildfire season.
Gen. Gregory Guillot, the military commander in charge of troops that responded to protests against immigration raids in the state, requested Monday that 200 of his troops be released for wildfire-fighting duty.
The troops will be relocated from a federal security mission in Los Angeles in order to help combat the fires.
“Task Force 51 will release approximately 150 members of the California National Guard from the Federal Protection mission today,” a US Northern Command spokesperson told Fox News.
The request comes as a dozen fires burn in the state. The largest is the Wolf Fire in Riverside County, which has burned more than 2,400 acres. It is 40% contained at the time of publishing.
Fire season in California typically lasts from June or July through October or November in the north, and May through October in the south. However, the fire season has been getting more unpredictable in recent years and can at times depend on weather conditions.
Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.
