06/26/2008 Print Version |
WHEREAS lightning strikes starting on June 20, 2008, ignited over 100 wildfires within the County of Mendocino, and lightning strikes starting on June 21, 2008, ignited more than 130 wildfires in the County of Shasta; and
WHEREAS the fires in those counties continue to be driven by dry conditions and high winds, and these conditions are expected to continue; and
WHEREAS over 25,000 acres have already burned in Mendocino County, and over 20,000 acres have already burned in Shasta County; and
WHEREAS the fires in these counties have damaged property and caused injuries to people; and
WHEREAS the fires continue to threaten residential and commercial property and structures, and evacuations have been ordered at various locations within the counties of Mendocino and Shasta; and
WHEREAS on June 23, 2008, the Director of Emergency Services and the Board of Supervisors for the County of Shasta proclaimed a local emergency in the County of Shasta, finding that conditions of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property exist within the County of Shasta caused by the fires; and
WHEREAS on June 24, 2008, the Board of Supervisors for the County of Mendocino proclaimed a local emergency in the County of Mendocino, finding that conditions of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property exist within the County of Mendocino caused by the fires, and requesting that I proclaim a state of emergency in Mendocino County; and
WHEREAS the circumstances of these wildfires, by
reason of their magnitude, are beyond the control of the services,
personnel, equipment and facilities of any single county, city and
county, or city and require the combined forces of a mutual aid region
or regions to combat; and
WHEREAS under the
provisions of section 8558(b) of the California Government Code, I find
that conditions of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property
exist due to the fires in the counties of Mendocino and Shasta.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Governor
of the State of California, in accordance with the authority vested in
me by the California Constitution and statutes, including the
California Emergency Services Act, and in particular, section 8625 of
the California Government Code, HEREBY PROCLAIM A STATE OF EMERGENCY to exist within the counties of Mendocino and Shasta.
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that all agencies of the state government utilize and employ state
personnel, equipment and facilities for the performance of any and all
activities consistent with the direction of the Office of Emergency
Services (OES) and the State Emergency Plan, and that OES provide local
government assistance under the authority of the California Disaster
Assistance Act.
I FURTHER DIRECT that as soon as hereafter possible, this proclamation be filed in the Office of the Secretary of State and that widespread publicity and notice be given of this proclamation.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of California to be affixed this 26th Day of June 2008.
ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER
Governor of California
ATTEST:
DEBRA BOWEN
Secretary of State
