Protect Yourself: Wildfire Smoke Safety
Wildfire smoke contains a complex mixture of air pollutants – is unhealthy to breathe and can be especially dangerous for the elderly, pregnant women, and people with chronic respiratory and heart conditions. Infants and children are also at a...
Cal OES Prepositions Firefighting Resources As Dry Lightning Threat Triggers Red Flag Warnings
Updated: July 20, 2021 With Red Flag Warnings in effect Sunday, July 18 through Monday, July 19, the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) has prepositioned fire apparatus and personnel in various regions across the...
Governor Newsom Declares State of Emergency in Siskiyou, Lassen and Plumas Counties Due to Fires
SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today issued an emergency proclamation for Siskiyou County due to the Lava Fire and Lassen and Plumas counties due to the Beckwourth Complex Fire. Both fires have destroyed homes, caused the evacuation of...
Dry Lightning Could Strike Parts of Northern California in Late Weekend Thunderstorms
Californians are urged to be prepared for wildfires as chances for thunderstorms and dry lightning increase this weekend. The National Weather Service issued a Fire Weather Watch for most of Northern California beginning Sunday morning through...
Mutual Aid Crews Critical to Containing and Knocking Down Beckwourth Complex Wildfire
As hot and dry conditions threaten parts of the west, California’s robust mutual-aid system is supporting local jurisdictions in response to multiple massive wildfires. More than 400 firefighting personnel alone battled the Beckwourth Complex in...
Governor Newsom Deploys Additional Firefighting Resources to Oregon to Combat Bootleg Fire
As hot and dry conditions continue to fuel dangerous wildfires across the West, Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the deployment of additional firefighting resources to Oregon to help combat the Bootleg Fire and support the response to new...
2020 California Wildfires Debris Removal Update
More than 2,000 properties participating properties in state's Consolidated Debris Removal Program returned back to county officials to begin permitting process for reconstruction. SACRAMENTO – More than 2,000 properties throughout the state whose...
California Deploys Firefighting Personnel to Assist on Bootleg Fire in Oregon
Update July 10, 2021 The California Governor's Office of Emergency Services is sending two additional strike teams to Oregon to assist with the Bootleg Fire. The two strike teams consist of Type 3 engines from Anaheim, Fullerton, Laguna Beach, City...
***UPDATED*** Statewide July Heat Wave Prompts Counties to Open Cooling Centers
After the hottest month of June on record in the United States and the National Weather Service issuing multiple Excessive Heat Warnings lasting through Monday, July 12, 2021, regions across California are bracing for another round of...
Butte County Local Highlight: 2020 Wildfires Debris Removal Update
FEATHER FALLS, CA – The remains of 1,080 of 1,100 homes and properties damaged in the North Complex Fire in Butte County have now been cleared of burned metal, concrete, ash, and contaminated soil. The nearly 1,100 properties are participating in...
California Deploying Specialized Urban Search and Rescue Resources to Surfside, Florida
At the request of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Governor Gavin Newsom through the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) approved the deployment of California-based Urban Search and Rescue (US&R)...
A Comprehensive Look: Landmark COVID-19 Relief Program Great Plates Delivered Wraps Up Operations
As the coronavirus crisis eases here in California, the Great Plates Delivered Program will officially come to a close on July 9, 2021. This statewide project that supported both sequestered seniors and struggling food vendors during the pandemic...
Camp Fire Recovery: Honey Run Road One Step Closer to Reopening Following Successful Hazardous Tree Removal
As California prepares for what lies ahead with the arrival of summer and the peak fire months, the recovery work left behind in the wake of last year’s historic wildfire season pushes on. For Butte County in particular, cleanup continues in areas...
FEMA Updates Funeral Assistance Policy as California Hits Nearly $40 Million Funds Disbursed
On June 29, 2021, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) amended their funeral assistance policy to include COVID-19 related fatalities that occurred in the early months of the pandemic. This policy change will allow applicants to submit a...
Cal OES Bids Farewell to Pioneering Charter Member of California, National USAR Systems
Harold Schapelhouman, chief of the Menlo Park Fire Protection District, and friend of the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) is retiring after decades of dedicated service. Cal OES Director Mark Ghilarducci, along with Cal...