CalFire receives $234 million in emergency funding

Cal Fire will get immediate help to fight wildfires across the state.

The agency asked California lawmakers for emergency funding Tuesday Sept. 25 to fight one of the worst fire seasons. They have been granted $234 million.

A majority of the cash will be used on the ground.

Cal Fire plans to deploy extra firefighters and one-third of its fire engines into areas that are critically dry for a quick response.

Fire officials said crews are seeing fire behavior they've never seen before.

Cal Fire has responded to more than 5,000 fires this year that have burned more than 617,000 acres. That's more than all of last year.

Officials said this is the earliest they've made a request for emergency funding.