BOTHELL, Wash. – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) authorized the use of federal funds to help with firefighting costs for the Almeda Glendower Fire burning in Jackson County, Oregon.
FEMA Region 10 Administrator Mike O’Hare determined that the fire threatened to cause such destruction as would constitute a major disaster. Approval of the state of Oregon’s request for a federal Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) was made at 1:40 p.m. PT on Wednesday.
The fire started on Tuesday and had burned approximately 600 homes and more than 3,000 acres of private land at the time of the state’s request. An additional 35,000 homes are threatened in and around the communities of Ashland, Talent, Phoenix, and the city of Medford. The fire also threatened Interstate 5, Highway 99, schools, a fire station, parks, small businesses, transmission and communication lines in the area. Level One, Two, and Three evacuations were issued for the region of the fire, which was zero percent contained at the time of the request.
The total number of FMAGs approved for Oregon during this fire season is eight, including six in just the past two days.
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.