California to receive FEMA funding to battle Rocky Fire in Lake County

OAKLAND, Calif. — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has authorized the use of federal funds to assist the state of California to combat the Rocky Fire burning in Lake County.

On August 1, 2015 the State of California submitted a request for a Fire Management Assistance Declaration for the Rocky Fire burning in Lake County.  At the time of the request, the fire was threatening 704 homes in and around the community of Lower Lake and other nearby communities.  Mandatory evacuations were taking place for approximately 450 people.  The fire started on July 29, 2015 and has burned in excess of 47,000 total acres of federal, state, and private land. 

The Regional Administrator for FEMA’s Region IX office determined that the Rocky Fire threatened such destruction as would constitute a major disaster and approved the State’s request on August 2, 2015.

The Disaster Relief Fund provides funding for Fire Management Assistance Grants (FMAGs) through FEMA to assist in fighting fires which threaten to cause major disasters. Eligible costs covered by FMAGs can include expenses for field camps; equipment use; repair and replacement; tools; materials; supplies and mobilization and demobilization activities.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders 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.

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