08/06/2008 Print Version |
WHEREAS over 2,000 wildfires
have erupted in California since May 22, 2008;
and
WHEREAS over 1 million acres
have burned as a result of these unprecedented events;
and
WHEREAS wildfires have burned
thousands of acres in Humboldt County, destroying structures and causing
evacuations; and
WHEREAS the wildfires in
Humboldt County and throughout California have generated unprecedented smoke
conditions, creating unhealthy air and posing a continuing danger to people;
and
WHEREAS the Hoopa,
Karuk, and Yurok Tribal Nations have
declared local emergencies for their reservations in and near Humboldt County as
a result of the fires and the unhealthy air caused by the fires and smoke;
and
WHEREAS on July 22, 2008, the
County of Humboldt declared a local emergency, finding that conditions of
extreme peril to the safety of persons and property have arisen within Humboldt
County caused by the fires and smoke, that local resources are unable to cope
with the effects of the emergency, and requesting that I proclaim a state of
emergency for Humboldt County; and
WHEREAS the circumstances of
these conditions, 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 and unhealthy air quality in the County of Humboldt.
NOW, THEREFORE, I,
Arnold Schwarzenegger, Governor of the State of
California, in accordance with the authority vested in me by the state
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 County of Humboldt.
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 my 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
6th Day of August
2008.
ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER
Governor of California
ATTEST:
DEBRA BOWEN
Secretary of
State
