President Trump signs emergency declaration for Garden Grove tank emergency

Meg James, Los Angeles Times on May 25, 2026

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President Donald Trump has signed an emergency declaration for the Garden Grove toxic tank emergency — allowing local authorities to receive federal disaster assistance as Orange County fire officials work to contain the crisis.

The move came after the Orange County Fire Authority announced early Monday that the risk of a major explosion had abated, allowing authorities to breathe a sigh of relief.

“Emergency officials advised that tank temperatures continue decreasing and pressure levels have dropped, and we appear to be heading in the right direction,” state Sen. Tom Umberg said in a statement shared with the Los Angeles Times.

Gov. Gavin Newsom separately announced on social media that California had secured a presidential emergency declaration for the Garden Grove hazmat incident. The money will help pay for the disaster response operations in Orange County, where nearly 800 state and local emergency crews have been working around the clock.

The news follows a Sunday night reconnaissance mission by the fire officials who specialize in hazardous materials.

“Thanks to the courageous work of firefighters who were able to get on top of the tank and remove the shroud, emergency crews now have the ability to cool the tank even further,” Umberg said, adding that he was grateful for the president’s action and for the work of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

However, fire officials said dangers from the ruptured tank remain so thousands of families are being told to stay away from their homes during the holiday weekend.

“This remains an active emergency situation,” Umberg said. “Residents still cannot safely return home at this time, and we are asking for continued patience as first-responders and emergency personnel continue their work around the clock.”

In his post, Newsom said the “new federal assistance will further bolster our resources to help resolve this situation.”

On Friday, Newsom signed an emergency order for Orange County and activated the state operations center to help coordinate the response with Orange County officials.

State officials called in roughly 785 first-responders and other emergency personnel, including firefighters, law enforcement officers, hazardous materials experts, public health officials and environmental scientists.