Texas Sending Firefighters to Calif. to Help Battle Blazes

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(TNS) – Each year, wildfires scorch up to millions of acres of land across the U.S. California is among the states most affected, and currently, thousands of wildfires are burning hundreds of thousands of acres in the Golden State. On Sunday, Gov. Greg Abbott announced that firefighters from Texas are being deployed to help California battle these blazes.

According to the governor, the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) and Texas A&M Forest Service are sending emergency management personnel, firefighters, engines and equipment to California after CAL Fire requested assistance from the outside.

“Texans understand the urgency of responding to wildfires, and our country is stronger when we come together in times of crisis,” Abbott said in a release Sunday. “I am grateful for all the firefighters and emergency management personnel as they answer the call to protect their fellow Americans. Cecilia and I pray for the brave first responders who are battling these destructive wildfires in California.”

More than 100 firefighters and 25 engines will be heading westward, where CAL Fire is responding to 4,521 reported wildfires burning 687,191 acres, as of 3 p.m. CT Sunday. The largest of these blazes by far is the Park fire, which began July 24 and is currently spread out over 357,341 acres north of Sacramento in Butte, Plumas, Shasta and Tehama counties.

Firefighters were unable to contain the Park fire over its first four days, but as of Sunday afternoon, it’s now 12 percent contained. Authorities allege that the fire started when a man pushed a flaming vehicle into dried brush; a suspect was arrested Thursday.