FEMA Authorizes Funds to Help Fight the Highway 141 Fire

SEATTLE, Wash — The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has authorized the use of federal funds to help with firefighting costs for the Highway 141 Fire Complex burning in Klickitat County, Washington.

FEMA Acting Regional Administrator Sharon Loper approved the state’s request for a federal Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) on September 5, 2012. At the time of the request, the fire was threatening 430 primary homes in subdivisions near the city of White Salmon – local area population of 3,000.   Major power transmission lines were also being threatened.   Approximately 120 people have evacuated the area and one shelter is open.  The fire started on September 5, 2012, and has burned approximately 1,570 acres of private land.

The authorization makes FEMA funding available to pay 75 percent of Washington eligible firefighting costs under an approved grant for managing, mitigating and controlling designated fires. These grants provide reimbursement for firefighting and life-saving efforts. They do not provide assistance to individuals, homeowners or business owners and do not cover other infrastructure damage caused by the fire.

Fire Management Assistance Grants are provided through the President’s Disaster Relief Fund and made available by FEMA to assist in fighting fires that threaten to cause a major disaster. Eligible items can include expenses for field camps; equipment use, repair and replacement; mobilization and demobilization activities; and tools, materials and supplies.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders and to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.