Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency on Saturday in response to the ongoing response to the chemical incident in Garden Grove.
Roughly 40,000 people are under an evacuation order after a tank containing toxic chemicals began to leak at an Orange County aerospace facility, the Orange County Fire Authority said. The 34,000-gallon tank is carrying a flammable liquid called methyl methacrylate, which is used in the aerospace industry to create resins and plastic.
With the state of emergency proclamation, local agencies will receive support from federal emergency and government agencies as well as more response resources. The governor’s office said state-owned properties and fairgrounds will also be available to use as shelter centers.
In addition to the four evacuation centers that were already open, the governor announced that two more sites have been opened to evacuated residents:
Garden Grove Sports & Recreation Center: 13641 Deodara Drive in Garden Grove, CA (pets accepted)
Cypress Community Center: 5700 Orange Avenue in Cypress.
The other four centers are located at:
Ocean View High School: 17071 Gothard Street in Huntington Beach
Savanna High School: 301 North Gilbert Street in Anaheim
John F. Kennedy High School: 8281 Walker Street in La Palma
Freedom Hall: 16801 Euclid Street in Fountain Valley (reached capacity Friday night)
***CRITICAL INCIDENT UPDATE***
Unified Incident Commander Craig Covey providing this morning‘s update. pic.twitter.com/er52WXgh3J
— OCFA (@OCFireAuthority) May 23, 2026
“The safety of Orange County residents is the top priority,” Newsom said in a statement. “We are mobilizing every state resource available to support local responders and make sure the community has what they need to stay safe.”
With the tank having a faulty valve, emergency crews are bracing for it to either spill or potentially explode. OCFA Division Chief Commander Craig Covey said officials are creating plans for either outcome.
For additional resources in connection with the emergency, click here.