Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that the White House has approved California’s request for a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration on Tuesday.
The relief proposal was made Monday, and will bolster the ongoing emergency response to wildfires and support impacted communities in Lassen, Nevada, Placer and Plumas counties.
"California is grateful for President Biden’s swift approval of our request and the ongoing work of our heroic firefighters and emergency responders to protect communities across Northern California," said Newsom. "This declaration makes vital resources available as we continue to work in lockstep with local, state and federal partners to meet the challenge of these catastrophic wildfires and support communities in recovery."
A Presidential Major Disaster Declaration helps people in the impacted counties through eligibility for programs and support, including housing assistance, counseling, medical services and legal services.
The declaration also includes public assistance to help state, tribal and local governments with ongoing emergency response and recovery costs and hazard mitigation, which helps state and local governments reduce the risks and impacts of future disasters.
The request approved Tuesday was specifically about the Dixie and River fires. Other fires, including the Caldor Fire, may be included once officials can safely assess the scope of damage.
Although wildfires are actively burning, the state and its partners are working quickly to provide California communities the resources they need to get back home as soon as it is safe to do so. Workers are actively removing household hazardous waste caused by fires in multiple counties. Teams are also conducting damage assessments of the losses so that the state can maximize its requests for federal aid.
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