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 Thomas Fire burning in Ventura County.
On December 5, 2017, the State of California submitted a request for a Fire Management Assistance Declaration for the Thomas Fire. At the time of the request, the fire was threatening over 4,000 homes in and around the communities of Santa Paula and Ventura, population 150,000. The fire was also threatening infrastructure, utilities, and oil production facilities. Mandatory evacuations were issued for approximately 3,000 people.
The fire started on December 4, 2017, and has burned in excess of 20,000 acres of state and private land. The fire was zero percent contained. There are no other large fires burning uncontrolled within the State.
The FEMA Regional Administrator determined the Thomas Fire threatened such destruction as would constitute a major disaster. The state’s request was approved on December 5, 2017, at 5:05 AM EST, and was designated as FEMA-5224-FM-CA.
Fire Management Assistance Grants (FMAGs) provide federal funding for up to 75 percent of eligible firefighting costs. The Disaster Relief Fund provides funding for FMAGs through FEMA to assist in fighting fires that threaten to cause major disasters. Eligible costs covered by FMAGs can include expenses for field camps, equipment use, materials, supplies and mobilization, and demobilization activities attributed to fighting the fire.
For media inquiries related to FEMA’s support to the fires, please contact (510) 627-7006.
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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.