Governor Newsom secures federal assistance to support response to Gann Fire in Calaveras County
What you need to know: Governor Newsom has secured a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help suppress the Gann Fire in Calaveras County.
SACRAMENTO – Moving swiftly to support local and state response efforts to the Gann Fire, Governor Gavin Newsom today announced that California has secured a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to make additional resources available to support response efforts in Calaveras County.
California is fully mobilized alongside our local and state partners to meet the challenges posed by the Gann Fire. By securing this assistance, we are strengthening our ability to deploy critical firefighting resources, accelerate containment efforts, protect lives and property, and support communities facing ongoing evacuations.
Governor Gavin Newsom
The fast-moving Gann Fire ignited on August 3, 2026, just before 5:30 P.M. near Hogan Dam Road and Gann Road near Valley Springs in Calaveras County, and rapidly spread. More than 6,495 acres have burned, threatening several communities in Calaveras County and forcing the evacuation of 1,473 residents while placing an additional 1,400 under evacuation warnings.
As response efforts continue to intensify, personnel from Cal OES Fire and Rescue, Law Enforcement, and Inland Region are working with partner agencies to deliver a unified response, strengthen emergency management operations, support law enforcement, execute evacuations, and ensure critical mutual aid resources are deployed where they are needed most.
“The Fire Management Assistance Grant provides critical support to help local and state agencies quickly access the resources they need to respond to fast-moving wildfires, strengthen suppression efforts, and protect communities at risk,” said Director of Cal OES, Caroline Thomas Jacobs. “We are working diligently with our partners at CAL FIRE and Calaveras County to ensure they have all the resources needed to keep their communities safe.”
How the grant works
The FMAG, which is provided through FEMA on a cost-share basis, will assist local, state, and tribal agencies responding to the fire to apply for 75% reimbursement of their eligible fire suppression costs.
CAL FIRE remains fully staffed throughout the state to respond to new incidents. And Cal OES, through the California Fire and Rescue Mutual Aid System, continues to maintain sufficient statewide firefighting resources to support initial attack and sustained operations on new fire starts across the state.
Get prepared, stay ready
Residents are urged to stay vigilant during this heightened heat and fire weather period. Californians are reminded to:
- Sign up for local emergency alerts to stay informed about changing conditions.
- Prepare a wildfire action plan, including planning evacuation routes and packing a go-bag with essentials.
- For more information on fire safety and general preparedness, visit Ready.ca.gov.