http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/index.php?smp=&lang=engCalifornia Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on Friday declared a state of emergency in Riverside County due to extreme, damaging winds. In addition to raising the threat of wildfires in the region, the winds have damaged power lines, trees, streets, homes, businesses, schools and government infrastructure, the governor said in a statement. It is estimated that the high winds have caused over 6 million dollars in public facility damage and extraordinary costs for local emergency response agencies, said the governor. The governor's emergency declaration allows the Governor's Office of Emergency Services (OES) to deploy emergency personnel, equipment and facilities and provide local government assistance under the authority of the California Disaster Assistance Act. Commencing on or about Oct. 20, 2007, Southern California has been subjected to extremely strong and damaging winds, which are expected to continue. The extremely high winds have fanned wildfires in seven counties. The high winds have also hindered emergency firefighting operations throughout southern California. The winds contributed to the displacement of people from their homes, forcing them to evacuate, said the governor without giving details.
"The extremely high winds, and the damage they have caused, by reason of their magnitude, are beyond the control of the services, personnel, equipment and facilities of any single county, city and county, or city, and require the combined forces of a mutual aid region or regions to combat," said the governor. "I find that conditions of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property exist in the County of Riverside due to the high winds and the resulting damage," he said. "It is hereby ordered that all agencies of the state government utilize and employ state personnel, equipment and facilities for the performance of any and all activities consistent with the direction of my Office of Emergency Services (OES) and the State Emergency Plan, and that OES provide local government assistance under the authority of the California Disaster Assistance Act," he said. )
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