Oak Fire prompts Newsom to declare state of emergency for county near Yosemite National Park
.JPG "Firefighter Justin Montgomery defends a home on Triangle Road as the Oak Fire burns in unincorporated Mariposa County, Calif., on Friday, July 22, 2022.")
With the Oak Fire destroying homes and threatening critical infrastructure in the mountainous areas west of Yosemite National Park, Governor Gavin Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency Saturday for Mariposa County.
Cal Fire reported that the Oak Fire had burned 11,900 acres and no containment had yet to be reached.
The wildfire, which began Friday afternoon, has been fueled by hot, dry weather and drought conditions, as well as plenty of trees, grass and other shrubbery to burn on the ground.
A state of emergency allows public officials to change usual operations and order actions to respond to an unfolding crisis, and helps draw down additional resources to help local residents.
Earlier Saturday, Newsom announced that California secured a federal grant that will provide financial assistance in the fight against the Oak Fire.
The Fire Management Assistance Grant comes from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
This story was originally published July 23, 2022 at 7:43 PM with the headline "Oak Fire prompts Newsom to declare state of emergency for county near Yosemite National Park."