Local firefighters head out to battle Northern California blaze

Monument Fire has blackened 57,000+ acres in Shasta-Trinity National Forest

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - Another strike team of local firefighters is on their way to Northern California to battle another massive wildfire.

The Monument Fire is burning in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest near Redding. So far it's charred nearly 58,000 acres of land. It's currently only 3% contained.

The Yuma Fire Department (YFD) says California emergency officials late Monday night requested a strike team to help with the blaze. By 2 a.m. Tuesday, 4 YFD personnel and an engine were on the road to meet up with the Imperial County members of the team in Westmoreland. As soon as the full team was assembled, they began the 800-mile trip to the fire's staging area.

This is the second time in recent weeks a local strike team has been called out to battle a major wildfire. The crew assigned to the Dixie Fire, also burning in Northern California, just returned last week.

A "strike team" consists of firefighting apparatus, personnel, and a team leader drawn from various departments. The team usually remains together throughout a deployment. Its duties typically include home and structure protection.

This deployment is expected to last two-weeks, although the team may not be needed for that long.