State Declares Emergency for Ventura Fire

In a possible step toward obtaining federal disaster funds, Gov. Pete Wilson declared a state of emergency in Ventura Tuesday because of the Oct. 25 fire that set the city’s hills on fire and came within inches of residents’ manicured backyards.

“By declaring a state of emergency, we will allow San Buenaventura to recover as quickly as possible from last month’s firestorm,” Wilson said. “We will pave the way for the city to recoup some of the costs for fighting the fire.”

Ventura spent $365,000 battling the flames that blackened 475 acres of hillside. The costs included the expenses of equipment and the firefighters who rushed from up and down California to help extinguish the wind-driven flames.

Wilson also requested that President Clinton add Ventura to a federal declaration of emergency that already exists for Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties.

If the president amended his prior emergency declaration to include Ventura, the city could recover 75% of its emergency response costs.

Even if Clinton fails to amend his earlier declaration, Ventura would be eligible for cost-sharing from the state. That, too, could cover up to 75% of the costs, leaving the city with the same 25% burden.

There is an established procedure to receive federal funding.

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First, a city must apply to the state. The city needs to show that its response to the emergency exceeded its resources and that it had to call for outside help. Once the state has declared a state of emergency, it passes a request on to the federal government. From there, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, steps in to do its own analysis.

At that point, FEMA must find that “there is an extraordinary circumstance--it could be an earthquake, wildfire or flood--that has caused damage or some kind of peril,” said Ron Low, the governor’s deputy press secretary.

Subduing the Ventura fire required plenty of outside help. Emergency strike forces including 125 engine companies and more than 500 firefighters zoomed down the freeway to combat the Ventura fire.

In the end, no homes burned.

Most of the majestic homes perched at the base of the hills and looking out over the ocean and the Channel Islands are worth more than the $365,000 it cost the city to fight the fire. And it is Ventura’s effectiveness in fighting the fire that may put the federal funding in doubt.

“Let’s face it,” said Ventura Fire Chief Dennis Downs. “It’s unfortunate when you lose property, but it’s extremely spectacular. If we lost half a dozen homes, or a neighborhood, the president might be more likely to sign. But we were able to stop it before it reached any homes--so the president could say no.”

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Nevertheless, Downs says he is “cautiously optimistic” that the president will declare an emergency in Ventura.

City officials greeted the governor’s announcement with enthusiasm.

“If we get reimbursed, I’ll be very happy,” Councilman Steve Bennett said. “But if we can’t, that’s one more indication of why we are lucky to live in a city that is managed responsibly; from a fiscal standpoint we do have the reserves to cover these kinds of emergencies.”

A decision on whether the city receives federal funding could be made in as little as a week, and within a month at the latest, Low said.