Trump administration declares 'major disaster' for Shasta County due to Carr Fire

Redding

Shasta County is now officially the scene of a "major disaster," Gov. Jerry Brown's office announced.

The presidential declaration, which Brown had requested from President Donald Trump, opens the door to a variety of assistance programs for the community affected by the Carr Fire.

Those include housing assistance, food aid, unemployment assistance, counseling and medical services and legal services, Brown's office said in a news release.

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State, local and tribal governments also benefit from the disaster declaration. They'll have access to help with emergency response and recovery costs including funds to fix roads, bridges and utilities damaged by the fire.

The declaration also helps state and local governments "reduce the risks and impacts of future disasters," Brown's office said.

Brown and Trump have publicly clashed over a variety of issues, from immigration to environmental policies. But Brown said he believes the Carr Fire is the type of situation that can "bring people together, regardless of the lesser kind of ideologies and partisan considerations."

The White House had issued its first disaster declaration for the county a week prior. The major disaster declaration, however, comes with additional support.

The Carr Fire, which broke out July 23, has become the sixth most destructive wildfire in California history by structures burned, as well as one of the all-time deadliest.

A Pacific Gas and Electric Co. employee was killed while trying to restore service to an area affected by the fire Saturday, bringing the total number of those killed in the fire or in relation to it to seven.

The fire continued to burn overnight, charring another 9,500 acres as crews continued to get a fire line around the blaze.

As of Sunday morning, the fire was 41 percent contained, with 1,604 buildings destroyed, including 1,080 homes consumed by the fire.

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