From the State Operations Center in Mather today, state officials provided an update on the wildfires situation as well as resource coordination efforts taking place to address current and future needs for wildfire emergencies.
With thousands forced from their homes as wildfires rage up and down California, local, state and federal agencies continue to work around the clock coordinating resources to support communities affected by recent major wildfires.
The Camp Fire in Butte County has burned more than 70,000 acres and is 5% contained. In Ventura County, the Hill Fire has burned more than 6,000 acres and the Woolsey Fire more than 2,000 acres, both with zero containment. There are more than 150,000 people evacuated across the state as a result of wildfires.
“The magnitude of destruction is unbelievable and heartbreaking,” said Cal OES Director Mark Ghilarducci. “Our hearts go out to everybody that has been affected.”
The State Operations Center (SOC) is operating 24 hours a day in support of Cal OES Regional and county Emergency Operations Centers. The SOC serves as the central point of coordination for resources that will directly assist the areas affected, including fire and law mutual aid resources.
Fire Management Assistance Grants were received from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for assistance with firefighting costs. Acting Governor Gavin Newsom declared a State of Emergency in Butte, Ventura and Los Angeles counties as a result of the wildfires. California has also requested a Presidential Emergency Declaration for direct federal assistance for wildfires.
You can view the briefing in its entirety here: https://youtu.be/34wAk8JTixo
Additional information is available at:
- Woolsey Fire Information – http://VCEmergency.com
- Ventura County Fire Department – VCFD_PIO(Twitter @VCFD and @VCFD_PIO)
- Los Angeles County Fire Department – LACoFDPIO(Twitter @LACoFDPIO)
- Los Angeles City Fire Department LAFD(Twitter @LAFD)
- Hill Fire Information – http://cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/incidents/incidents_details_info?incident_id=2281
- Camp Fire Information – http://www.fire.ca.gov/current_incidents/incidentdetails/Index/2277
- https://twitter.com/ButteSheriff
- CAL FIRE Twitter – https://twitter.com/CAL_FIRE
- Fire Management Assistance Grants – http://bit.ly/10v6hjJ
- Cal OES Twitter – https://twitter.com/Cal_OES
- Governor’s Office of Emergency Services – http://www.caloes.ca.gov/
Photo: NASA Earth Observatory