Yesterday, Governor Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency in Butte and Tehama counties due to the Park Fire. The proclamation makes additional resources available for response and recovery efforts, and 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.

On Wednesday, the state secured a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help ensure the availability of vital resources to suppress the fire burning in Butte County. Already this wildfire season, California has secured FMAGs for the Thompson, French and Hawarden fires that burned nearly 5,000 acres.

The fast-moving Park Fire near the city of Chico has burned more than 348,000 acres, forcing evacuations of thousands of people. Real-time information, including road closures, evacuation maps and centers, is available at fire.ca.gov.