Update: Governor Jerry Brown has requested a Major Disaster Declaration from President Trump, while a state of emergency has been declared in Los Angeles, Ventura and Butte counties.
From Brown’s request:
“If granted, a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration would make individuals in the impacted counties eligible for a number of programs and support, including crisis counseling, housing and unemployment assistance and legal services. The declaration would also help state, tribal and local governments with ongoing emergency response and recovery, including the repair and replacement of disaster-damaged facilities and infrastructure, including roads, bridges and utilities.”
Read the Full Letter as PDF:
President Trump has come under fire for remarks over Twitter criticizing California officials for poor forest management, while threatening “no more fed payments!” due to “gross mismanagement.
Trump later said that if people “don’t evacuate quickly, they risk being over taken by the fire,” adding that residents should “Please listen to evacuation orders from State and local officials!”
On Sunday the President resumed his criticism of California forestry policy, tweeting: “With proper Forest Management, we can stop the devastation constantly going on in California. Get Smart!”
Read extensive updates at Zerohedge:
Helicopter shows scale of California wildfire
California declares state of emergency; entire city of Malibu evacuated
