‘Major disaster’ declared due to California wildfires

GRIZZLY FLATS, Calif. (NBC/KCRA) – President Joe Biden has declared a major disaster exists in California, where wildfires continue to rip through the state. The declaration comes as many residents return home to communities destroyed by the Caldor Fire.

In the town of Grizzly Flats, a layer of ash covers the ground where homes once stood. Firefighters are extending hands and warm hugs to those making heartbreaking discoveries while homeowners continue to assess the damage to their properties. They’re hoping to rebuild and rise from the ashes.

“The spark of all this devastation, the goodness, is what I can put back into this property,” said Grizzly Flats resident Jeff Cornett. “It was a little bit emotional, but I knew for the most part, I knew what I was coming here to see.”

The president will deliver remarks at the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho, and then travel to Sacramento, California, where he’ll survey wildfire damage.

Biden will wrap up the day in Long Beach for an election-eve event with California’s democratic governor Gavin Newsom, who faces a recall vote on Tuesday.

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