California has requested a federal emergency declaration to support response efforts in Orange County, where a chemical incident is ongoing. Governor Gavin Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency in Orange County on May 23, 2026, in response to the incident, which involves a storage tank holding methyl methacrylate that began off-gassing and threatened to fail at a facility in Garden Grove owned by GKN Aerospace.
According to the Governor’s office, more than 785 state and local first responders and emergency personnel are working to support public safety, evacuations, traffic management, and sheltering operations. The Governor’s office has also made state-owned properties available to shelter the 40,000 people ordered to evacuate from the area.
The Governor’s request for a federal emergency declaration was submitted to President Donald Trump to support ongoing response operations in Orange County. The declaration would provide additional resources and support to help manage the incident and protect the community.