Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency Wednesday night as three major wildfires continue burning across multiple counties in Southern California.

The fires are actively burning with little to zero containment as thousands of firefighters from across the state have responded to help battle the destructive blazes:

• Line Fire in San Bernardino County
• Bridge Fire in the San Gabriel Mountains of Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties
• Airport Fire, which began in Orange County and spread into Riverside County

State officials have secured federal assistance to support efforts to contain the fast-moving fires which include:

• Massive air and ground response
• Nearly 6,000 fire personnel on the ground across 162 crews
• 520 fire engines
• 141 water tankers
• 75 dozers
• 51 helicopters
• 9 fixed-wing aircraft, including 7 CAL FIRE aircraft and 2 National Guard C-130 aircraft
• Additional equipment and support from CAL FIRE, the California National Guard and the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services

“California is deploying every available resource to combat these devastating fires, and we’ll continue to work in lockstep with federal and local partners in this herculean effort,” Newsom said. “We are deeply grateful to all the heroic firefighters and first responders on the ground working 24/7 to keep Californians safe.”

The fires ignited during a week when most Southern California cities saw triple-digit temperatures amid a record-breaking heatwave.

“Right now, in our season, we don’t get a lot of recovery from higher humidity,” said Cal Fire Battalion Chief Andrew Bennett. “In Southern California, the fuel is dry toward the end of the year, so our fire season is really just starting now.”

Authorities have urged residents living near the fire zones to heed all evacuation orders and warnings.

The latest evacuation orders, road closures and updates can be found here.

The aftermath of a heat wave and ongoing wildfires has left many Southern California residents dealing with poor air quality.

Monitors used by the South Coast Air Quality Management District have detected very unhealthy air quality in communities across San Bernardino, Riverside, Orange and Los Angeles counties, especially in cities like Big Bear, Fontana, Mira Loma, Ontario, Riverside, Anaheim, Crestline, Lake Elsinore, Glendora and Banning.

Whether you are directly impacted by the ongoing wildfires or live in nearby communities, here’s how you can stay safe amid poor air quality conditions.

Here’s what you need to know:

• Stay inside when air quality is “unhealthy.”
• Avoid exerting yourself outside, like exercising, as this will make you breathe harder and draw more pollutants into your lungs.
• Keep your windows closed and use an air filter. The Common Humanity Collective has instructions on how households can make affordable ones here.
• If you have an air conditioning system, change your filter regularly, and keep a high-efficiency filter on hand. Filters labeled “MERV13” or higher are most effective for removing smoke particles.
• Keep a few disposable respirators, such as N-95 or P-100, on hand in case you need to be outside in smoky conditions.
• Avoid using fireplaces, candles, or incense indoors as that can further impact air quality.
• Consider visiting a California Clean Air Center if you don’t have an AC unit or can’t filter the air in your home properly.
• Air quality alerts, current air quality conditions, and forecasts can be received by downloading the South Coast AQMD mobile app or visiting their website.

The Airport Fire, which started in Orange County on Monday and spread to Riverside County has charred thousands of acres and forced several evacuations as of Wednesday morning.

Cal Fire stated that the wildfire has crossed the Ortega Highway and is “actively impinging upon structures in the area.”