San Diego and 14 other counties in California were declared disaster areas Aug. 3 by Gov. Jerry Brown because of a series of wildfires that have burned thousands of acres. The declaration will help mobilize additional firefighting and disaster response resources.
“California’s severe drought and extreme weather have turned much of the state into a tinderbox,” Brown said. “Our courageous firefighters are on the front lines, and we’ll do everything we can to help them.”
Brown’s order calls for the National Guard to help with disaster response and relief efforts.
Over the past month and a half, fires in the region have charred around 170 acres near the Barona Casino, 25 acres near Lake Henshaw, 30 acres around Lake Morena County Park, and 170 acres close to the Palomar Observatory. Larger and more destructive blazes have burned in Northern California.
– City News Service