The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has authorized the use of federal funds to help with firefighting costs for the Rice Ridge Fire in Missoula and Powell Counties.
FEMA Acting Regional Administrator Nancy J. Dragani approved the state’s request for a federal Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) after receiving the state’s request Saturday afternoon.
At the time of the request, it was reported the fire was threatening 1,020 homes in and around Seeley Lake, MT. The fire is also threatening buildings, infrastructure, utilities, equipment, cell towers and power substations in the area. Evacuations are in place for approximately 2,010 people. The fire started July 24, 2017 and has burned in excess of 108,216 acres of Federal and private land. The fire is seven percent contained.
The authorization makes FEMA funding available to pay 75 percent of the state’s eligible firefighting costs under an approved grant for managing, mitigating and controlling designated fires. These grants do not provide assistance to individual home 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.