Schwarzenegger orders 1,500 troops to battle wildfires

LOS ANGELES: California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has ordered the deployment of 1,500 troops from the National Guard to help support firefighting efforts across the state, his office said.

A statement released by Schwarzenegger on Monday said the troops would be placed at the disposal of the governor's Office of Emergency Services for deployment to areas where they can have the greatest impact.

"We have the best-trained, the best-equipped and the most experienced firefighters in the world and I am committed to making all of the state's resources available to them to get these fires under control," Schwarzenegger said in the statement.

"That is why I have declared a state of emergency and directed the National Guard to support the firefighters in Southern California."

The announcement comes as at least 13 wildfires raged across California, forcing the evacuation of at least 250,000 people in San Diego County alone.

Emergency services have said resources have been stretched to breaking point by the wildfires.