Gavin Newsom’s request for relief funds following major wildfires that sparked in early September and have since burned through nearly 1.9 million acres, the governor announced. The Democratic governor made the disclosure in a statement Friday afternoon, saying President Trump approved his request for a major disaster declaration after the two spoke on the telephone moments earlier. “Grateful for his quick response,” Mr. Newsom said. Officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which state officials said notified them Thursday they were turning down the request, were not immediately available for comment on the governor’s announcement. The turnabout is another example of the unusual relationship between the governor and President Trump, who despite often fiery rhetoric toward one another often cooperate on assistance for California’s frequent disasters in recent years.

Source: Wall Street Journal October 16, 2020 18:58 UTC