Governor Newsom proclaims state of emergency in San Bernardino County, secures federal assistance to support response to Line Fire
Sep 7, 2024
SACRAMENTO – Moving quickly to support the state’s response to the Line Fire, Governor Gavin Newsom today proclaimed a state of emergency in San Bernardino County and announced that California has secured a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help ensure the availability of vital resources to suppress the fire.
The fast-moving Line Fire near the City of Highland has burned more than 7,000 acres, forcing the evacuation of residents and threatening homes and critical infrastructure.
“I thank President Biden for his swift approval of support for the work of our firefighters and first responders battling this fire and protecting local communities. It’s critical that residents in the impacted areas remain vigilant and prepare to evacuate immediately if called for by local authorities,” said Governor Gavin Newsom.
Among other provisions, the proclamation supports impacted residents by easing access to unemployment benefits and waiving fees to replace driver’s licenses and records such as marriage and birth certificates. It also allows the waiver of certain statutes and regulations so that hospitals, adult and senior care facilities, child care facilities, and other care facilities impacted by the fire can continue to provide services.
A copy of the proclamation can be found here.
The FMAG, which is provided through the President’s Disaster Relief Fund on a cost-share basis, will assist local, state, and tribal agencies responding to the fire to apply for 75-percent reimbursement of their eligible fire suppression costs.
Visit fire.ca.gov for real-time information on active fires and ready.ca.gov for information on how to prepare for emergencies and extreme weather.
