Gavin Newsom declares state of emergency in 2 Northern California counties due to wildfires

Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in Del Norte and Siskiyou counties Tuesday as wildfires force evacuations, destroy homes and cut power in Northern California.

The Happy Camp Complex began burning in Siskiyou County on Aug. 16 and has since burned more than 22,000 acres as of Wednesday. The complex, in Klamath National Forest, is at 39% contained, according to Calfire.

The Smith River Complex in Del Norte County started on Aug. 20 and has since burned more than 75,000 acres. These fires have affected nearby Crescent City and “threaten the community of Gasquet,” according to the declaration. The fire is 7% contained, according to the United States Forest Service.

Crescent City has a population of nearly 6,000 residents, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, while Gasquet has a population of roughly 600.

The announcement specified the following provisions for affected residents and those working to restore the community:

• Licensing requirements and out-of-state contractor fees would be waived for those working with the California utilities agency to restore electricity in the area.
• Residents who have been impacted by the fires will have easier access to unemployment benefits.
• Fees will be waived for affected residents who are looking to replace their driver’s licenses and marriage or birth certificates.

Smoke from the wildfires in Northern California and southern Oregon has made its way into the Sacramento Valley and the region is under a red flag warning due to dry, hot and windy weather conditions.

This story was originally published August 30, 2023 at 12:12 PM with the headline "Gavin Newsom declares state of emergency in 2 Northern California counties due to wildfires."