As Bridge Fire Devastates Southern California, Reps. Chu, Napolitano, & Obernolte Request State of Emergency Declaration from Governor Newsom

PASADENA, CA - Today, Reps. Judy Chu (CA-28), Grace Napolitano (CA-31), and Jay Obnernolte (CA-23) wrote to Governor Gavin Newsom of California requesting the declaration of a State of Emergency to assist the response efforts to the Bridge Fire impacting Los Angeles and San Bernadino Counties.

To read the letter in full, click hereor view below:

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September 11, 2024

The Honorable Gavin Newsom

Governor State of California

1303 10th Street, Suite 1173

Sacramento, CA 95814

Dear Governor Newsom,

We write to urge you to declare a State of Emergency to assist in the response to the Bridge Fire impacting Los Angeles and San Bernadino Counties. The Bridge Fire started on September 8th in the Angeles National Forest following extreme wind events combined with a heat wave and exceedingly dry conditions. As of September 11th, it has grown over 10 times in size and burned more than 47,904 acres, triggering mandatory evacuation orders and endangering tens of thousands of homes and other structures.

The intensity and damages of the Bridge Fire have already overwhelmed local resources and require additional assistance, coordination, and action to support local efforts. We are pleased that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) approved the State of California's grant application for federal assistance under the Fire Management Assistance Grant Program (FMAG) on September 11th to aid ongoing fire mitigation efforts, but a State of Emergency declaration is still needed to deploy all available assets in the State's disaster response.

We are tremendously grateful to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, Los Angeles County Fire Department, San Bernadino County Sheriff's Department, San Bernardino County Fire Protection District, CAL FIRE, and U.S. Forest Service for their immediate response efforts, and we commend your immediate action in declaring a State of Emergency to address the Line Fire in San Bernadino County. We respectfully urge you to act with similar urgency by declaring an additional State of Emergency for the Bridge Fire as quickly as possible to protect the health and safety of affected communities.

Thank you for your consideration of this urgent request, and we look forward to working with you to provide additional resources to Californians impacted by the Bridge Fire.

Sincerely,

Judy Chu, Member of Congress
Grace F. Napolitano, Member of Congress
Jay Obernolte, Member of Congress

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