PROCLAMATION
11-04
WHEREAS, a severe wind storm spread a home chimney fire into an
uncontained wildfire on February 12, 2011, destroying 20
homes, displacing approximately 120 people and leaving over 75
of them homeless, distributing smoke across a wide area,
causing evacuation of nearby residents, interrupting provision
of public utilities, limiting access to public facilities, and
causing extensive wind, fire and smoke damage to homes,
businesses, public utilities, public facilities, and
infrastructure in Yakima County and within the Reservation of
the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation (Yakama
Nation); and,
The Yakama Nation declared an emergency for the wind storm and
fire and multiple jurisdictions responded to the incident;
and,
The estimated cost to repair damage to homes, businesses,
utilities, facilities and infrastructure is currently being
determined but is significant. Yakama Nation officials and
local jurisdictions are continuing to assess damage caused by
the wildfire, address emergency conditions for provision of
public utilities and those left homeless, and coordinate
resources to repair and replace public utilities and alleviate
the immediate and long term impacts upon the infrastructure,
public safety, and the life and health of Yakama Nation
members and other citizens; and,
The wildfire damage and its effects continue to impact the
life and health of Yakama Nation members and other citizens,
as well as the property and infrastructure of Washington
State. It is a public disaster that affects life, health,
property and the public peace; and,
The Washington State Military Department Emergency Management
Division increased activities to support the incident,
implemented response procedures, and coordinated resources to
support tribal and local officials in alleviating the
immediate social and economic impacts to people, property, and
infrastructure, and is continuing to assess the magnitude of
the event.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Christine O. Gregoire, Governor of the state of
Washington, as a result of the above-noted situation and under
Chapters 38.52 and 43.06 RCW, do hereby proclaim that a State
of Emergency exists in Yakima County in the state of
Washington, and direct the plans and procedures in the
Washington State Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan be
implemented. State agencies and departments are directed to
utilize state resources and to do everything reasonably
possible to assist the Yakama Nation and affected political
subdivisions in an effort to respond to and recover from the
event.
Signed and sealed with the official seal of the state of
Washington this 23rd day of March, A.D, Two Thousand and
Eleven at Olympia, Washington.
| By: | ||
| Christine O. Gregoire Governor |
||
BY THE GOVERNOR:
[Assistant] Secretary of State |
||