STATE OF FLORIDA
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
EXECUTIVE ORDER NUMBER 07?86
(Emergency Management/Wildfires)
WHEREAS, the State of Florida has continued to experience extreme dry
weather conditions because precipitation statewide has been much lower
than normal (according to the National Drought Mitigation Center, over
90 percent of Florida is experiencing drought conditions of varying
degrees); and
WHEREAS, the Division of Forestry has advised the State Emergency
Response Team that 15 new wildfires, covering 1,400 acres have broken
out overnight; and
WHEREAS, on May 2, Flagler County had to evacuate 147 homes and closed
State Road 40 due to a wildfire that has already consumed 2,000 acres of
timberlands; and
WHEREAS, as of the date of this Executive Order, the Federal Emergency
Management Agency has approved the State's Request for Fire Management
Assistance Grant for wildfires in Flagler, Lake, and Volusia Counties;
and
WHEREAS, dry weather conditions are forecast for the foreseeable future,
and the danger of additional wildfires will increase dramatically over
the next ninety days; and
WHEREAS, the fact that these conditions cover the entire State creates
the added danger that many fires may start up at the same time in
different parts of the State, taxing the capability of the Division of
Forestry and local firefighting agencies to cope with them; and
WHEREAS, the Governor finds that lives and property statewide are now
threatened by the imminent danger of wildfires that may start up at once
in many different locations; and
WHEREAS, the Governor further finds that the Division of Forestry, the
Florida National Guard, and other agencies responsible for fighting the
wildfires stand in need of additional authority and firefighting
resources to cope with this ongoing danger; and
NOW, THEREFORE, I, CHARLIE CRIST, as Governor of Florida, by virtue of
the
authority vested in me by Article IV, Section 1(a) of the Florida
Constitution and by the Florida Emergency Management Act, as amended,
and all other applicable laws, promulgate the following Executive Order,
to take immediate effect:
Section 1. Because of the foregoing conditions, I declare that the
ongoing danger of wildfires and drought conditions continues to threaten
the State of Florida with a major disaster, and that as a consequence of
this danger a state of emergency exists in the State of Florida. I
further find that to protect lives and property throughout the State it
is necessary to give those agencies with operational responsibilities in
fighting the wildfires the additional authority to cope with this
danger, as well as additional firefighting resources.
Section 2. I designate the Director of the Division of Emergency
Management as the State Coordinating Officer and delegate to the
Division of Emergency Management the over?all authority to coordinate
the assignment of firefighting support missions requested by the
Division of Forestry. I place all aviation and other firefighting
resources under the operational authority of the Division of Forestry
while this Executive Order remains in effect, and I designate the
Director of the Division of Forestry as Incident Commander for this
emergency. All state, regional and local governmental agencies shall
place any and all available resources under the direction of the State
Coordinating Officer to support the Division of Forestry and other
firefighting agencies in controlling the wildfires.
Section 3. In accordance with sections 252.36(1)(a) through section
252.36(8), Florida Statutes, I delegate to the State Coordinating
Officer the following powers, which he shall exercise as needed to meet
this emergency
