Newsom declares statewide emergency as fires burn across California

[Elderberry]

American Military News by  Colleen Shalby, Leila Miller and Taryn Luna - Los Angeles Times 8/20/2020

Gov. Gavin Newsom has declared a statewide emergency in order to help California respond to the fires burning across the state amid an extreme heat wave.

More than 30 wildfires are burning across California, including nearly a dozen that started in the last two days, according to officials with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and a Los Angeles Times analysis. Officials have said more rolling blackouts were likely Tuesday afternoon and evening due to power shortages tied to the heat.

While the containment of some fires is increasing, other blazes are being sparked and are growing amid a combination of excessive heat and lightning-fueled thunderstorms induced by a tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean.

In a press release, Newsom’s office said that the state had secured assistance this week from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to respond to fires in Napa, Nevada and Monterey counties.

“We are deploying every resource available to keep communities safe as California battles fires across the state during these extreme conditions,” said Newsom. “California and its federal and local partners are working in lockstep to meet the challenge and remain vigilant in the face of continued dangerous weather conditions.”

More: https://americanmilitarynews.com/2020/08/newsom-declares-statewide-emergency-as-fires-burn-across-california/