ST. PAUL — The Minnesota National Guard will use 15 military trucks to deliver water as part of its initial response to a bird flu outbreak in Minnesota.

The state Department of Public Safety says the trucks will provide large amounts of water needed in foaming systems being used to euthanize diseased flocks to contain the virus.

Thirty National Guard soldiers will be used in the mission. The Star Tribune reports the trucks come from the Willmar-based 682nd Engineer Battalion and the Brooklyn Park-based A Company, 134th Brigade Support Battalion.

The soldiers start working Monday and continue through Wednesday.

The Guard was activated as part of Gov. Mark Dayton’s declaration of a state of emergency Thursday. Bird flu has infected dozens of turkey operations in Minnesota and at least one chicken operation.