05/05/2009 GAAS:220:09 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Print Version |
Gov. Schwarzenegger Issues Executive Order to Boost State's Wildfire Preparedness and Resources
As part of
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's ongoing commitment to emergency preparedness,
today he issued Executive Order S-05-09, which mobilizes the California
Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) to secure and deploy the
additional resources and personnel that are necessary to save lives and protect
homes statewide from wildfires.
"Last summer
when California was engulfed by 2,000 fires, California's brave and hard
working firefighters beat back every one of those fires, but it was not without
great sacrifice and great cost," said Governor Schwarzenegger. "A third
straight year of drought only heightens the danger we face this summer, and we
need every firefighting tool on ready alert, so we can spring into action when
disaster strikes. This Executive Order directs CAL FIRE to immediately mobilize
more personnel and equipment, which means more crews, more engines, more
helicopters and more planes to ensure our firefighters have the tools they need
again this year to keep us safe."
As part of the
Executive Order, the Governor directed state agencies, including the California
Emergency Management Agency, California National Guard, California Conservation
Corps, and California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to
coordinate their actions with federal and local agencies, prepositioning
resources and maximizing California's fire prevention and fighting
capabilities.
Earlier this
week, the Governor issued a proclamation declaring May
2-9, 2009 "Wildfire Awareness Week."
Below is text of
the Governor's executive order:
WHEREAS changing climate has impacted California's weather patterns and
fuel conditions, resulting in an increased risk of wildfire; and
WHEREAS current below-normal precipitation, seasonally higher-than-normal
temperatures, strong winds, and low relative humidity combined with dead, dying
and diseased trees have contributed to heavy fuel loads and the early drying of
wildland vegetation; and
WHEREAS these readily available fuel loads create an imminent threat of
catastrophic fires; and
WHEREAS last year California experienced devastating wildfires that
destroyed lives, property, businesses, critical infrastructure, and the
environment and resulted in the largest deployment of firefighting resources in
state history; and
WHEREAS this year, California once again finds itself facing an imminent
threat of devastating wildfires and imminent peril to people and property; and
WHEREAS federal aviation assets continue to be limited; and
WHEREAS coordinated fire prevention, aggressive fuel reduction programs
and strong initial attack resources are essential to protect people, property
and the environment in California; and
WHEREAS the increased risk of catastrophic wildfires throughout
California may result in harmful, secondary environmental effects, including
increased emissions of air pollutants; diminished air and water quality;
impacted watershed and soil stability; and compromised populations and habitats
of sensitive and endangered fish and wildlife species; and
WHEREAS the increased risk of catastrophic wildfires could significantly
impact state efforts to reduce greenhouse gases due to significant uncontrolled
emissions of greenhouse gases caused by wildfire; and
WHEREAS immediate action is needed to respond to these conditions and to
protect people, as well as the property, economy and environment throughout
California, from the negative impacts of catastrophic wildfires.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER, Governor of the State of
California, in accordance with the authority vested in me by the Constitution
and statutes of the State of California, do hereby issue the following orders
to become effective immediately:
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
(CAL FIRE) shall secure and deploy additional resources that are necessary, as
determined by the Director, to protect the safety of persons and property from
wildfires during periods of elevated fire risk as follows:
(a) Staff additional fire crews, fire engines, helitack crews, fire
bulldozers, equipment and aviation resources as warranted based on fire threat
conditions.
(b) Assign a crew of four firefighters to CAL FIRE fire engines as
warranted based on fire threat conditions.
(c) Assign additional resources in the CAL FIRE Contract Counties as
warranted based on fire threat conditions.
(d) Coordinate with the California Emergency Management Agency (CAL EMA)
and the California National Guard for those military resources that may be
available for assistance during emergencies in California.
(e) Assign additional fire safe inspectors where and when beneficial to
reduce fire risk, assist with fire hazard reduction, conduct defensible space
inspections, and promote fire safe practices, public education and prevention
programs.
(f) Provide for supplemental detection, including staffing for fire
lookouts, during peak fire conditions.
(g) Increase staffing for command and control functions at CAL FIRE Unit
Emergency Command Centers, Northern and Southern Operations Centers and the CAL
FIRE Sacramento Coordination Center when necessary to respond to significant
fire events.
(h) Assign additional staff as necessary to provide emergency incident
support and burn area emergency assessment and response activities.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that CAL FIRE utilize staff as necessary to
support a heightened level of fire prevention public awareness and education
utilizing CAL FIRE Volunteers in Prevention, Fire Safe Councils, and the Office
of the State Fire Marshal.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that CAL FIRE continue, within its authority, to
expedite the processing of contracts and grants of federal funds to
communities, and continue to support local and regional wildfire hazard
mitigation and community emergency planning efforts.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that CAL EMA shall, in consultation and
coordination with CAL FIRE and as fire threat conditions warrant, (a) deploy
CAL EMA fire engine strike teams to ensure a substantial response capability to
any wildland fire situation in California, with the costs of the deployment to
be reimbursed consistent with the California Fire Service and Rescue Emergency
Mutual Aid Plan and the California Fire Assistance Agreement; and (b) augment
personnel at CAL EMA operations centers and emergency incident support teams as
necessary to respond to significant fire events.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the California National Guard prepare to
provide its aviation assets, identify personnel to train for hand crews and
pre-position ground support equipment as appropriate for response to major wildfires,
and report to CAL EMA on the status of all aircraft on a weekly basis.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the California Department of Corrections and
Rehabilitation, including the Division of Juvenile Justice, establish the
highest priority for assignment of minimum custody or camp-approved inmates and
wards to Conservation Camp Fire Crews.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the California Conservation Corps (CCC)
report to CAL FIRE daily on the readiness of all CCC support crews for response
to wildfires.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that CAL EMA review the preparedness of state
agencies and departments to assure readiness for response to wildfires.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that CAL FIRE and CAL EMA work closely with federal,
state and local government agencies, bordering states, and the Mexico border
states to maximize California's fire prevention and firefighting capabilities
and to provide appropriate reciprocal assistance when requested.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that, to the extent authorized by applicable law,
the purchasing authority of CAL FIRE and CAL EMA (and other state agencies and
departments as deemed necessary by the Secretary of CAL EMA) shall be raised to
$100,000 to expedite the contracts necessary to prepare and respond to
emergencies during this fire season.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the Department of General Services (DGS), in
coordination with CAL EMA, shall establish short and long-term procurement
mechanisms to secure the unique goods and services that may be required to
support communities in an emergency.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that CAL EMA, in consultation and coordination with the
California Natural Resources Agency and the California Environmental Protection
Agency, initiate necessary
preparedness and training efforts for local
governments to ensure that post-fire watershed assessments, emergency
protective measures, effective debris removal efforts, post-fire burn area
assessments, and mitigation efforts to evaluate potential hazards, are
implemented to address needed remediation.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the California Environmental Protection Agency and the California Natural
Resources Agency shall oversee the Climate Action Team's development of measures
for wildfire fuels reduction and biomass utilization.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that CAL FIRE shall provide educational
information to homeowners on defensible space and California Building and Fire
Codes ignition-resistant building materials, and shall develop training for
defensible space inspection and building ignitability in consultation with the
Department of Insurance, CAL EMA, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA).
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that CAL
FIRE shall conduct vigorous defensible space inspections pursuant to applicable
authority.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that to assist landowners to meet their 100-foot
defensible space requirements to reduce hazardous vegetation and landscaping,
CALFIRE, in consultation with the California Biomass/Biofuel Collaborative, may
enter into contracts, agreements, and arrangements for the chipping, hauling,
burning, or other methods of disposal of hazardous vegetation removed by
landowners as required by Public Resources Code section 4291 and Government
Code section 51182.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that CAL EMA, in coordination with CAL FIRE, shall
continue to support the development of fire hazard information and shall
continue to make it available to the public.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that CAL EMA shall assist local communities to
help ensure that federal hazard mitigation grants are focused on the areas of
greatest vulnerability in the Wildland Urban Interface in California.
This Order is not intended to, and does not, create any rights or benefits,
substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity, against the State
of California, its agencies, departments, entities, officers, employees, or any
other person.
I FURTHER DIRECT that as soon as hereafter possible, this Order be filed in the
Office of the Secretary of State and that widespread publicity and notice be
given to this Order.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of California to be affixed this 5th day of May 2009.
ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER
Governor of California
ATTEST:
DEBRA BOWEN
Secretary of State
