Federal Funds Authorized To Help Fight Texas Wildfire
Release Date: August 28, 2000
Release Number: HQ-00-043a
Washington, D.C. -- Federal funds were made available by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) over the weekend to help Texas battle the uncontrolled Live Oak Loop fire located in Hill County.
According to the agency, the state's request for federal fire suppression aid was approved on Saturday, August 26 after it was reported the blaze was threatening approximately 245 homes in the community of White's Bluff and the Live Oak resort. The fire, which started on Saturday, had consumed 100 acres of land at the time of the request and was located less than one mile from the populated area.
In addition to the Live Oak Loop Fire, Texas was authorized federal funding earlier this year to help with four other wild fires: the Chicken fire in Nacogdoches County, the Bob's Trail fire in Bastrop County, the Purgatory fire in Comal County, and the Saddleback fire in Wise County.
Under each authorization, FEMA will pay 70 percent of the state's eligible firefighting costs that are above $355,097. The figure, called a floor cost, is derived through a formula based on the state's five-year annual average cost for fighting fires.
Federal fire suppression aid is provided through the President's Disaster Relief Fund and made available by FEMA to assist in fighting fires when they threaten to cause a major disaster. Eligible state firefighting 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.
Last Modified: Monday, 17-Nov-2003 10:59:10