FEMA Funds Authorized For Burn Canyon Fire 

Release Date: July 15, 2002
Release Number: HQ-02-101a

Denver, CO -- The Burn Canyon fire, which has been burning since Saturday near Norwood is the latest to qualify for suppression assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

FEMA approved a Fire Management Assistance Grant Monday evening after state officials asked for help to cover the costs of fighting the blaze. At the time of the request, the fire reportedly was threatening about 65 structures with little containment.

In granting the state's request for assistance, FEMA Director Joe M. Allbaugh said, "The Burn Canyon fire is just another example of how this active wildfire season is far from over. The Bush Administration is here to make sure that Colorado has the resources needed to fight this fire, and FEMA will be with the state every step of the way."

Fire Management Assistance Grants are used to help manage and control fires that threaten to cause a major disaster. The Burn Canyon fire is the fifteenth Colorado wildfire this year to qualify for a FEMA fire assistance grant.

The grants are used to reimburse 75 percent of eligible state and local costs associated with the firefight. The assistance covers costs such as firefighting and support services; pre-positioning federal and out-of-state resources; evacuations; sheltering; traffic control; security; and emergency operations centers.

FEMA fire management assistance in Denver's Region 8 has been authorized this year for fires in five states. In Colorado, grants have been approved for the Snaking fire April 23; the Cuerna Verde fire, May 1; the Black Mountain fire, May 5; the Schoonover fire, May 23; the Iron Mountain fire, June 2; the Trinidad Complex fire, June 3; the Ute Pass fire June 7; the Coal Seam fire, June 8; the Hayman fire, June 9; the Dierich fire, June 10; the Missionary Ridge fire, June 11; the Million fire, June 19; the Wiley Ridge fire, June 23, and the Valley fire, June 25. In other states, fire management assistance grants also have been authorized for: the Hensel fire in Wyoming, June 18; the Grizzly Gulch fire near Deadwood, South Dakota, June 29, the Again fire in North Dakota, June 29, the Reese Mountain fire in Wyoming, July1 and the Mustang fire in Utah, July 1.

Last Modified: Wednesday, 27-Aug-2003 17:22:46