SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today proclaimed a state of emergency in Plumas County due to the Gold Complex Fire and in Butte and Tehama counties due to the Park Fire. The fires have together burned more than 181,000 acres, forcing the evacuation of thousands of residents, destroying homes and threatening critical infrastructure.
 
The Governor yesterday announced that California secured a Fire Management Assistance Grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help ensure the availability of resources to suppress the Park Fire.

“We are using every available tool to protect lives and property as our fire and emergency response teams work around the clock to combat these challenging fires. Stay safe and remain alert for instructions from local authorities as dangerous fire weather conditions continue.”

Among other provisions, today’s proclamation supports impacted residents by easing access to unemployment benefits and waiving fees to replace driver’s licenses and records such as marriage and birth certificates. It also allows the waiver of certain statutes and regulations so that hospitals, adult and senior care facilities, home care organizations and other care facilities impacted by the fires can continue to provide services and, if necessary, provide care to patients or residents displaced from other facilities by the fires.
 
A copy of the proclamation can be found here.
 
Governor Newsom earlier this month proclaimed a state of emergency in response to the Thompson Fire and the state has also secured Fire Management Assistance Grants to support the response to the Thompson, French and Hawarden fires.

Visit CAL FIRE’s website for the latest on current wildfires, including information on evacuation orders and warnings.

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