Golden State Today

Sacramento, California – Governor Gavin Newsom announced today that California has secured a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to support efforts in combating the Borel Fire in Kern County.

The Borel Fire, which ignited on July 24 on federal lands in the Sequoia National Forest, has burned over 31,000 acres and has more than tripled in size since Friday morning.

In addition to the Borel Fire, FMAGs have been secured for the Park, Thompson, French, and Hawarden fires. Governor Newsom recently proclaimed a state of emergency in Plumas County due to the Gold Complex Fire and in Butte and Tehama counties due to the Park Fire. A state of emergency had previously been declared for the Thompson Fire.

An FMAG is provided through the President’s Disaster Relief Fund on a cost-share basis. It assists local, state, and tribal agencies by covering 75 percent of eligible fire suppression costs. The program is administered through the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) and provides rapid financial assistance to communities affected by fires.

For updates on current wildfires, including evacuation orders and warnings, visit CAL FIRE’s website.