As Tuesday dawned, efforts continued to put out wildfires fed by strong winds over the weekend, including help from the Virginia National Guard.

It also rained, but not enough as firefighters would have liked.

"Rain is good because it buys us time," said Denny McCarthy, a Virginia Department of Forestry spokesman, adding that rain can also hamper firefighting efforts when it's light, such as Tuesday afternoon, and slows down the operation.

Light rain Tuesday afternoon in Roanoke County did stall important ongoing efforts to contain the Green Ridge Mountain blaze in the Carvins Cove area by lighting backfires around its perimeter.

More significant rainfall, in the range of a half-inch or more, would be beneficial because that amount of rain would be enough to saturate grasses, leaves and brush that have not burned. More rain is forecast for today.

Meanwhile, the National Guard, which hasn't assisted with a fire in the Roanoke region in years, was called in Tuesday to help fight the Carvins Cove and other fires.

About 100 National Guard soldiers arrived in Roanoke and Bedford counties to continue battling several brush fires ignited by downed power lines and spread by extremely windy conditions Sunday afternoon.

The soldiers included Sgt. Stephan Waschler, who on a typical weekday can be found working as a paramedic in the Richmond area.

On Tuesday, he was in the mountains of Roanoke County working to stop the spread of a wildfire.

"Woodland firefighting is a lot different than paramedics," he said.

Waschler and his comrades in the 116th Division were honored Sunday in Lynchburg for completing a yearlong peacekeeping mission in Kosovo. Less than 24 hours after Sunday's Operation Freedom Salute, Waschler got the call for state duty.

Officials estimate that nearly 2,400 acres have burned in the Green Ridge Mountain fire, which is between Loch Haven Lake and Carvins Cove reservoir.

Jennifer Conley Sexton, spokeswoman for Roanoke County Fire and Rescue, said Monday evening that the fire is about 10 percent contained. However, the fire jumped a containment line Monday night, she said.

Roanoke County Fire Chief Rick Burch said no homes were in danger Tuesday evening.

Crews in Bedford County expect to completely contain another large wildfire, now known as the Black Horse fire, in the Montvale area today. That fire was 90 percent contained by Tuesday evening. It has burned nearly 1,500 acres since Saturday, said Chris Rose of the U.S. Forest Service.

Officials said an all-terrain vehicle operated on a restricted trail by a 16-year-old is believed to have sparked the fire.

Goose Creek Valley residents who were evacuated Sunday afternoon have been permitted to return home, Rose said.

About dusk Tuesday, firefighters were called off the Montvale fire for the night when weather conditions created limited visibility.

The rainfall expected today will likely mean a day of rest for the firefighters and soldiers before hitting the fires hard on Thursday, McCarthy said.

The soldiers are a welcome relief to the local and state emergency services personnel, some of whom have been on site since Sunday.

"It affords us an opportunity to rest all resources," McCarthy said. "The resources we desperately needed two days ago are here."

In Craig County, a third fire surpassed 2,700 acres, burning more than 1,000 additional acres of national forest land since Monday.