THE WHITE HOUSE

                     Office of the Press Secretary
                           (Auburn, New York)
________________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release                                  September 1, 1999

         PRESIDENT CLINTON DECLARES AM EMERGENCY EXISTS IN THE 
                          STATE OF CALIFORNIA

     The President today declared an emergency exists in the State of

California and ordered Federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area struck by severe fires on August 24, 1999, and continuing.

The President's action makes Federal funding available to affected local governments in a four county area. The counties include Butte, Shasta, Tehama, and Tuolumne.

Federal funding is available to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency protective measures as authorized.

The Agency said that damage surveys are continuing in other areas, and additional counties may be added after the assessments are completed.

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