President Joe Biden has approved a disaster declaration for California in response to active wildfires which have burned more than 1.3 million acres across the state.
The White House said in a statement on Tuesday that Biden "declared that a major disaster exists in the State of California and ordered Federal aid to supplement State, tribal, and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by wildfires beginning on July 14, 2021, and continuing."
"The President's action makes Federal funding available to affected individuals in the counties of Lassen, Nevada, Placer, and Plumas," the statement continued.
According to the statement, federal assistance can be used to help homeowners and business owners repair damages caused by the fire. "Federal funding also is available to state, tribal, and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency protective measures," the statement added.
The announcement by the White House comes just a day after California Governor Gavin Newsom requested that Biden issue a disaster declaration in response to the ongoing wildfires.
