CAL OES NEWS: State Operations Center(SOC) Activates in Full Support of the Statewide Fires

California OES announcement 

State Operations Center Activates in Full Support of the Statewide Fires

by Lilly Wyatt on September 16, 2014

 

Sacramento – On Tuesday, September 16, 2014 the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (OES) activated the State Operations Center (SOC) in support of the Inland Region Emergency Operations Center (REOC) and locals counties due to 11 fires currently burning throughout California.

More than 182,000 acres have been charred across the state fed by high temperatures, wind gusts and dry fuels significantly contributed by the ongoing drought. More than 4,000 heroic firefighters are helping combat the flames

While all the fires are our priority there are three of major concern due to the rapid rate of spread.

• The Boles Fire in Siskiyou County began on Monday afternoon and spread rapidly destroying 150 homes and currently threatens 1,000 single residences and 100 non-residential commercial properties. This fire has also impacted the Roseburg Saw Mill Property and Weed Elementary School. It has burned 375 acres and is 20% contained.
• The King Fire, which began early Sunday evening in El Dorado National Forest, has grown to 11,570 acres and is just 5 percent contained, threatening 500 single residences. There are now 640 mandatory evacuations and 627 voluntary evacuations. This fire is threatening SMUD, PG&E high voltage lines and El Dorado Irrigation District Infrastructure.
• The Courtney Fire in Madera County spread from Oakhurst to the popular recreational area Bass Lake, burning 320 acres so far. More than 600 firefighters are struggling to cope with the blaze due to steep, rugged terrain and “extreme fire behavior conditions.” The fire already claimed 61 structures, including 33 homes, near Oakhurst, California, an area already reeling from a wildfire that destroyed eight structures in August. The fires have caused evacuations of approximately 600 people and is 40% contained.

In conjunction with Cal OES, several other state agencies, non-profit and private-sector partners are coordinating the response efforts to assist county and local governments with their needs. These include: the Department of General Services, The Department of Social Services, Department of Water Resources, State Water Resources Control Board, California Department of Food & Agriculture, the California Utilities Emergency Association, and the American Red Cross to assist in support of the statewide fires.

“There is a full team of personnel that is trained in emergency management, to support local governments as their needs arise,” said State Operations Center Director Lee Dorey. “Our focus is always on life safety, life sustainability, property and environmental protection.”

As of September 16, 2014 FEMA has approved two Fire Management Assistances Grants (FMAG) to help ensure the availability of vital resources to extinguish the Boles and Courtney fires.

An FMAG, provided through the President’s Relief Fund on a cost-share basis, will enable local, state and tribal agencies responding to the fire at the request of incident commanders to apply for a 75-percent reimbursement of costs related to mobilization, demobilization, travel and labor.  Equipment and supply use, administrative activities and other fire-related costs are also eligible for reimbursement.  Responding local, state and tribal agencies are responsible for the remaining 25 percent of their costs.

There is an existing gubernatorial proclamation approved by Governor Brown in support of the Northern California Wildfires dated August 2, 2014.

Additional information is available at:

• Fire Management Assistance Grants – http://bit.ly/10v6hjJ
• Cal OES Twitter @caloes
• Incident Information Systems – http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/
• Governor’s Office of Emergency Services – www.caloes.ca.gov

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CFN - California Fire News 2013 

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