SACRAMENTO – Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today issued an emergency proclamation for Shasta County following a recent wildfire that destroyed residences and other structures and caused evacuations.
The full text of the emergency proclamation is below:
A PROCLAMATION OF A STATE OF EMERGENCY
WHEREAS a wildfire started on September 9, 2013, in Shasta County; and
WHEREAS the fire burned over 8,000 acres, destroyed and damaged residences and other structures, and necessitated the evacuation of residents and the opening of emergency shelters; and
WHEREAS on September 12, 2013, Shasta County proclaimed a local
Emergency and requested that I proclaim a state of emergency; and
WHEREAS multiple agencies, at the local, state, and federal level, were involved in suppressing the wildfire and continue to be involved with recovery efforts;
WHEREAS workers are, or may be, unemployed as a result of the wildfire and are in need of immediate financial assistance; and
WHEREAS the suspension of the statutory one-week waiting period for unemployment insurance applicants who are unemployed due to the wildfire would provide these unemployed workers with immediate financial assistance; and
WHEREAS the circumstances of this wildfire, by reason of their magnitude, are or are likely to be 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 exists within the County of Shasta due to these events.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, EDMUND G. BROWN JR., 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 Shasta County.
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED THAT:
1. 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 Governor’s Office of Emergency Services and the State Emergency Plan.
2. The provisions of Unemployment Insurance Code section 1253 imposing a one-week waiting period for unemployment insurance applicants are suspended as to all applicants who are unemployed as a direct result of the wildfire in Shasta County, who apply for unemployment insurance benefits during the time period beginning September 9, 2013, and ending on the close of business on November 22, 2013, and who are otherwise eligible for unemployment insurance benefits in California.
3. All State agencies with responsibility, regulatory authority, or expertise related to recovery efforts in connection with this wildfire shall cooperate fully and act expeditiously in coordination with the California Natural Resources Agency and the California Environmental Protection Agency to facilitate the mitigation of the effects of the wildfire and the environmental restoration of the affected areas.
IT IS REQUESTED that the Department of Housing and Community Development use its administrative powers where appropriate to allow existing grantees of Community Development Block Grants to re-program their grants to provide funding assistance to survivors for eligible activities related to the disaster.
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 31st day of October, 2013.
___________________________
EDMUND G. BROWN JR.
Governor of California
ATTEST:
___________________________
DEBRA BOWEN
Secretary of State