FEMA Authorizes Funds to Help Fight the Byrd Canyon Fire

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

FEMA Acting Regional Administrator Sharon Loper approved the state’s request for a federal Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) on September 10, 2012 at 5:00 PM PDT. This is the third FMAG in Washington in 24 hours.

The fire started on September 8, 2012, and has burned approximately 6,500 acres of Federal and private land.  At the time of the request, the fire was threatening 135 primary homes near the city of Chelan and was at 0 percent containment.  Approximately 170 people had evacuated the area under a mandatory evacuation order. 

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.