Gov. Newsom issues executive order to help wildfire areas recover quicker

Gov. Newsom waives some fees and zoning requirements to help wildfire victims

The Governor issued an executive order Saturday.

SACRAMENTO - Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order Friday to help streamline recovery efforts in the five counties where 13 wildfires burned in October.

The fires destroyed houses, mobile homes, manufactured homes and other structures and left debris, forced closure of highways and roads and destroyed or damaged infrastructure.

Newsom's executive order helps displaced residents with housing needs by facilitating manufactured homes and mobile home parks, and waiving fees to replace driver's licenses and birth certificates of residents affected by the fires.

The order, which contains a dozen sections, includes a three-year suspension of planning and zoning requirements that pertain to recreational vehicles, mobile homes, manufactured homes mobile home parks and special occupancy parks that were damaged or destroyed as a result of wind events and fires.

Many residents face a challenging recovery, and strict compliance with various statutes and regulations addressed in the order would prevent, hinder or delay the mitigation of the effects of the fires, Newsom said.

Newsom issued proclamations of a state of emergency on Oct. 11 for Riverside and Los Angeles counties, where five fires burned, on Oct. 25 in Sonoma and Los Angeles counties, where two fires burned, and on Oct. 27 for severe fire weather conditions that began on Oct. 26.

During the severe fire weather, six fires began burning in Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties, Newsom said.

All orders and provisions in proclamations dated Oct. 11, 25 and 27 shall remain in force and effect, the executive order states.