Governor Asks for Federal Disaster Aid

Citing $23.6 million in fire devastation, Gov. George Deukmejian on Friday asked President Ronald Reagan to issue a federal disaster declaration for San Diego County and the City of Los Angeles.

Deukmejian, who toured fire-ravaged areas of San Diego Wednesday, said in a letter to Reagan that fires during the last week “are of such severity and magnitude that effective response is beyond the capabilities of the state and affected local governments.”

The declaration of a major disaster by Reagan would make available family assistance grants and temporary housing to fire victims, as well as low-interest loans from the federal Small Business and Farmers Home administrations.

Deukmejian forwarded the letter to Reagan through the regional office of the Federal Emergency Management Agency in San Francisco.

The governor said fires in California since June 28 have resulted in five civilian deaths, 154 injuries, and destruction or damage of 221 homes. More than 150,000 acres have been charred so far.

A precise statewide cost estimate for the damage is impossible at this point, the governor wrote.

But he said that in the two worst fires, in the Normal Heights area of San Diego on Sunday and the Baldwin Hills area of Los Angeles on Tuesday, the preliminary estimate of $23.6 million in losses includes the destruction of 112 homes, major damage to 38 other homes, and loss of three businesses. The governor’s message added that 18 outbuildings and 29 vehicles have also been destroyed in the fires.

A spokesman in the governor’s office said the damage estimate at each fire was based on local fire department surveys. In Normal Heights, the Metro Arson Strike Team (MAST) said that 64 homes were destroyed and 20 damaged, and that 18 outbuildings, 18 vehicles and three businesses were damaged. MAST’s damage estimate reached $8.6 million after investigators multiplied the square footage of the affected homes by an estimated cost of $75 per square foot for rebuilding houses and replacing belongings.

“It’s a ballpark figure,” said MAST Capt. John Hale. “We can’t tell who has diamonds in their closet and who has orange crates for furniture.”

Fred Morey, an assistant to the city manager, said the city’s detailed assessment would be completed about July 15, but that preliminary figures were given to the governor’s office Friday before Deukmejian made his request for federal assistance.

Deukmejian issued declarations of a state emergency Monday for San Diego County and Tuesday for the City of Los Angeles, allowing property owners with more than $5,000 in losses to have their property values for tax purposes frozen at their pre-fire levels.

Times staff writer Adam Z. Horvath contributed to this report.