FEMA Authorizes Federal Funds to Help Battle Tennessee Wildfires

ATLANTA, Ga.–The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has authorized federal funds to reimburse costs to Tennessee to fight the Flippers Bend Fire burning in Hamilton County.

This authorization makes FEMA grant funding available to reimburse 75 percent of the eligible firefighting costs for managing, mitigating and controlling the fire. Eligible costs can include labor, equipment and supplies used for fighting the fire and costs for emergency work such as evacuations and sheltering, police barricading and traffic control.

“FEMA approved this request to ensure that Tennessee has the resources to combat this fire and protect lives, structures and property,” said FEMA Regional Administrator Gracia Szczech. “State responders will continue the hard work to fight the fire with the help of this funding.”

The state requested a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG), and it was granted after 9:00 PM EST on November 9, 2016. The fire started on November 5, and has burned in excess of 800 acres of state and private land. There are 47 other large fires burning uncontrolled across the state. At the time of the request, the fire was threatening 45 homes in and around the Boston Branch community. Mandatory evacuations are taking place for approximately 15 to 20 homes and evacuations are expected to increase. The fire is also threatening the Town of Mont Lake and the Mile Straight community.

Federal fire management assistance is provided through the President’s Disaster Relief Fund and made available by FEMA to fight fires that threaten to cause a major disaster. Eligible state firefighting costs covered by the aid must first meet a minimum threshold for costs before assistance is provided.

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