Southern California officials were awaiting a response today from President Donald Trump to Gov. Jerry Brown’s request for a presidential major disaster declaration that would bolster recovery efforts from wildfires that have burned across the region. “I respectfully request you declare a major disaster in the state of California as a result of the devastating wildfires burning in Southern California for weeks,” Brown wrote Wednesday in a letter requesting the disaster declaration. Brown previously issued a state emergency declaration on Dec. 5 in Los Angeles and Ventura counties and on Dec. 7 in San Diego and Santa Barbara counties.