As wildfires continue to rage in Los Angeles and thousands flee their homes, military aircraft and technology are being deployed to support the California National Guard and the state’s firefighters. However, current smoke and wind conditions are hindering greater military support, according to the Pentagon.

Ten Marine helicopters equipped with water buckets were being sent to help fight the fire, Sabrina Singh, a Pentagon spokeswoman, told reporters Wednesday afternoon. In addition, four military Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System units can be deployed if necessary – a technology that can transform large C-130 Hercules aircraft into firefighting aircraft without major modifications.

LA has been ravaged for days by the worst fires in the city’s history, made worse by seasonal winds. The fires have killed at least five people, destroyed thousands of buildings and triggered evacuation orders for 180,000 people, according to the Associated Press.

Read more: Army doctor pleads guilty to 41 counts of sexual contact and indecent behavior toward patients

Singh added that the defense ministry would not be able to provide more funding immediately due to environmental conditions caused by the fires.

“We can increase assets, and the president has directed this department to strengthen everything California needs. But we have to work with California, and right now we can’t even get assets airborne because the fires are so bad and the winds are so bad,” Singh said.

This week, a fire broke out in the Pacific Palisades area of ​​LA and spread quickly. According to CNN, California residents were under evacuation orders Thursday as four other fires also broke out in the region, burning a combined total of nearly 30,000 acres, according to CNN.

More than 600 California National Guard troops were deployed under state orders to help firefighters and law enforcement fight the blaze, California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office said in a statement.

The California National Guard’s assets include ten rotary-wing aircraft, two C-130 aircraft and a total of ten hand crews to support firefighters and military police.

“We are deploying all available resources to combat these wildfires, including leveraging local and federal resources,” Newsom said in the statement. “California has thousands of emergency responders on the ground battling these fires. The state is leaving no stone unturned to protect California communities.”

Two additional Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System units are being prepared by the Nevada National Guard to support them, Singh said Wednesday.

According to the state of California, more than 305,000 veterans live in Los Angeles County, more than 84,000 are cared for by the West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Medical Center, about three miles as the crow flies east of the edge of the massive Palisades Fire burned more than 17,000 acres.

Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough said Wednesday that the department is working with state and local governments on support planning and sent an email to area veterans to let them know what services are available through the department.

“We are reaching out to all affected veterans in the wildfire area and making sure they know we are here for them,” McDonough said.

He added that the department is also “clearly communicating with the workforce,” some of whom may have homes in the burned or evacuated areas.

“The bottom line is: If you would like to know how VA can help you during this storm or would like to check with your local facility, please call 1-800-MyVA411,” he said.

The VA provides housing assistance to veterans who become homeless as a result of a fire, and several veterans service organizations, such as: B. Disabled American Veterans, provide disaster relief and grants to members and non-members.

As of Thursday, the state of California had opened four shelters for residents displaced by the fires.

The fires in Los Angeles this week occurred unusually early for California’s fire season, which often peaks in the summer. The Defense Department warned of the impacts of climate change — including more frequent wildfires — in a 2021 report.

“The unprecedented levels of wildfires, floods, droughts, typhoons and other extreme weather events in recent months and years have damaged our installations and bases, limited the readiness and deployment of military forces, and contributed to instability around the world,” said Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin this report. “Climate change affects most of this department’s activities, and this threat will continue to have dire impacts on U.S. national security.”

Related: The National Guard stationed in the southeast sees a “long recovery” ahead as the Helene death toll rises

The story continues