BOTHELL, Wash. – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has authorized the use of federal funds to help with firefighting costs for the Two Four Two Fire burning in Oregon’s Klamath County, outside the town of Chiloquin.
FEMA Region 10 Administrator Mike O’Hare determined that the fire threatened to cause such destruction as would constitute a major disaster. He approved the state of Oregon’s request for a federal Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) at 11:34 p.m. PDT on Monday.
The fire started on Monday and had burned approximately 1,000 acres of federal, state and private land at the time of the state’s request. Evacuation orders were in place for more than 100 homes in the area, and the fire was about two miles away from Chiloquin, threatening an additional 700-2000 people. The fire also threatened Chiloquin Airport, power transmission lines for local utility, and Collier Museum and State Park. At the time of the request, the fire was zero percent contained and rapidly developing under hazardous fire conditions.
FMAGs are provided through the President's Disaster Relief Fund and are 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.
In addition to reimbursement funding for fighting the fire, $629,681 in mitigation assistance will be available to Oregon. The Disaster Recovery Reform Act of 2018 authorizes FEMA to provide Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) Post-Fire funds to eligible states and territories that receive Fire Management Assistance declarations and federally recognized tribes that have land burned within a designated area.
FEMA encourages HMGP Post-Fire funds be used for the mitigation of wildfire and related hazards, such as flood or erosion. However, HMGP is available for risk reduction of any hazard.