FEMA Provides Federal Funding to Assist Cocos Firefighting Efforts in San Diego County, California

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 combat the Cocos Fire burning in San Diego County, in the San Marcos community.

On May 14, 2014, the State of California submitted a request for a fire management assistance declaration for the Cocos Fire.  The authorization makes FEMA funding available to reimburse up to 75 percent of the eligible firefighting costs under an approved grant for managing, mitigating and controlling the fire.

At the time of the request, the fire was threatening 1,500 homes in and around the community of San Marcos with a population of 86,752.  Mandatory evacuations due to the Cocos fire are in effect for approximately 6,000 people. The fire started on May 14^, 2014 and has burned in excess of 200 acres of state and private land.

The President’s Disaster Relief Fund provides funding for federal fire management grants made available by FEMA to assist in fighting fires that threaten to cause a major disaster. Eligible costs covered by the grant can include expenses for field camps; equipment use, repair and replacement; tools, materials and 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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