National Guard deployed to help fight raging California fire threatening thousands of homes

Firefighting teams battling the Line Fire in Southern California achieved 5% containment on Monday night, as the governor deployed the state National Guard to support the ongoing response to extinguish the blaze.

Cal Fire's latest update on the wildfire said 38,002 structures were threatened, though it noted there was so far no damage to buildings or any additional casualties beyond the three firefighters injured previously.

Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday the California National Guard will support the ongoing response to the Line Fire, the cause of which is still unknown. Eighty troops split into four 20-person teams and one military police company have been sent to the fire scene to assist the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department with traffic control in evacuated areas.

"We're pouring resources into this incident aggressively by deploying more air and ground support through the California National Guard," Newsom said in a statement. "This is on top of nearly 2,000 firefighters, nearly 200 engines, and air assets we already have tackling this fire. California stands with these communities and has their backs."

Monday saw most fire activity in the north and east edges of the wildfire, Cal Fire said, adding, "The fire could remain active overnight as vegetation remains critically dry."

"Stronger winds are predicted Tuesday which could help fire spread and contribute to longer range spotting. Mid-week cooling may moderate fire activity and increase fuel moistures," Cal Fire said.

The fire -- active since Sept. 5 -- is burning in steep and rugged terrain, making access difficult, Cal Fire said. Firefighters are working to build "control lines" to contain the blaze.

Evacuation orders are in place for 8,800 structures, with another 29,200 structures under evacuation warnings.

Four UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters for water bucket dropping operations and two C-130 aircraft with Modular Airborne Fire Fighting Systems will be among the resources deployed by the National Guard, Newsom said.

The Airport Fire

Another major fire in Southern California broke out Monday afternoon in an unincorporated area of Orange County, prompting the evacuations of 1,427 homes, according to Cal Fire. The fast-moving Airport Fire in Trabuco Canyon in the hills southeast of Irvine had burned 8,510 acres by Tuesday morning and was 0% contained, according to Cal Fire.

Two firefighters battling the blaze were hospitalized with heat-related injuries and one civilian suffering from smoke inhalation was also treated at a hospital, Cal Fire said. The Fire was burning in the direction of the Cleveland National Forest.

As of Tuesday morning, no structures had been destroyed or damaged, according to Cal Fire.

The Airport ignited around 1 p.m. PT on Tuesday, sparked by county public works crews working on a fire prevention project by trying to move boulders to prevent public access -- mostly by motorcyclists -- to an area of the canyon with a lot of dry vegetation that could ignite easily, officials told ABC Los Angeles station KABC.

"The fire has been classified as unintentional," said Orange County Fire Authority Deputy Chief TJ McGovern.

At least 1,000 firefighters were battling the blaze Tuesday.

The Bridge Fire

Elsewhere, the Bridge Fire, which started on Sunday afternoon in Los Angeles Country, had burned 2,996 acres north of Azusa in the Angeles National Forest by Tuesday morning, fire officials said. The fire is at 0% containment and evacuation orders are in place for a mobile home park, campgrounds and a small river community.