FEMA Authorizes Funds To Help Washington State Fight Slide Creek Fire

Release Date: August 27, 2010
SEATTLE, Wash. --The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency today (4:30 p.m. Pacific) authorized the use of federal funds to help Washington State fight the Slide Creek Fire burning in Stevens County.

FEMA Regional Administrator Ken Murphy said the state’s request for federal fire management assistance was approved after it was confirmed that the fire was threatening 165 homes near the community of Arden. The fire, which started 26 August, had burned in excess of 1,000 acres of federal and private land at the time of the request.

“The Slide Creek Fire is a sober reminder that this active wildfire season is far from over,” said Murphy. “FEMA is committed to assisting our nation's firefighters in getting them access to the resources they need to quickly extinguish fires that threaten lives and property.”

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.

Federal fire management assistance is 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 state firefighting costs covered by the aid must first meet a minimum threshold for costs before assistance is provided. Eligible costs covered by the aid 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.