Mariposa, CA — Governor Gavin Newsom signed a proclamation terminating 18 open state of emergency declarations in California, three of which impacted the Mother Lode region.
They include a July 2022 proclamation for the Oak Fire in Mariposa County. The incident burned 19,244 acres, destroyed 193 structures, and forced the evacuation of 6,000 residents. The total dollar damage was estimated to be $108-million. It was arson caused.
Another is a 2015 proclamation signed by then-Governor Jerry Brown in response to spiking tree mortality. Over 22 million trees were estimated to be dead due to drought and bark beetle infestation, prompting wildfire risk and safety hazards.
The final incident that impacted the region was an August 2022 statewide proclamation for extreme heat. Temperatures were over 110 degrees in many parts of California, stressing the electricity grid, prompting actions allowing power plants to generate additional energy and to bring in outside sources.
The Governor’s Office notes that they were ended after consulting with local governments to confirm that the proclamations are no longer needed.
