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US Army Soldiers Being Deployed To Help Fight California Wildfires

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Hundreds of US Army soldiers will soon be joining the fire fight against California's wildfires.

The USDA Forest Service announced on Monday that about 200 soldiers are being deployed to help with wildfire suppression efforts in Northern California.

The soldiers - who are coming from the 14th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, I Corps, from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington - are expected to arrive this week.

RELATED: Israeli Firefighters Arrive In California To Assist In Wildfire Battles

Officials say the soldiers will be deployed to the August Complex Fire in the Mendocino National Forest after they get some extra ground training and wireline certification.

It will be the first active-duty military mobilization for wildfire support in California since soldiers were deployed to help fight 2018's Mendocino Complex Fire.

California is also getting firefighting backup from overseas. Over the weekend, a team of Israeli firefighters arrived in Sacramento to help battle the state's wildfires.

The Israeli crews are being deployed to the LNU Lightning Complex and SCU Lightning Complex wildfires.

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