Aid For Colorado Wildfires Tops $21 Million Disaster Recovery Update
Release Date: July 15, 2002
Release Number: 1421-21
» More Information on Colorado Wildfires
Denver, CO --
- Colorado received a federal disaster declaration June
19 because of wildfires burning throughout the state. The declaration
covers 56 counties and two Indian reservations.
- All areas were designated for the Individual Assistance
Program, which provides assistance to eligible households and businesses
in the form of grants or low-interest loans.
- To date, 2,098 residents and businesses have registered
for disaster assistance.
- More than $165,000 has been approved for individuals
to assist with temporary housing and minor home repairs.
- State officials have approved more than $208,000 in
funds for Individual and Family Grant (IFG) assistance. IFG may be used
to cover disaster-related expenses, such as essential home repairs,
replacement of personal property, transportation, and necessary expenses
not covered by insurance or other programs.
- Individuals and businesses may apply for disaster
assistance by calling the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
toll-free registration line at
1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 1-800-462-7585 for speech- or hearing-impaired individuals. Lines are open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.
- Federal/state Disaster Recovery Centers are located
in Durango and Woodland Park. At these centers, individuals can meet
face-to-face with disaster recovery officials to ask questions about
disaster assistance.
- The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has approved
more than $1 million in low-interest disaster assistance loans.
- Disaster Unemployment Assistance is available through
the Colorado Department of Labor for those who lost income because of
the disaster and are not covered by regular unemployment programs, including
farmers, farm workers, and other self-employed persons. The deadline
for filing an application is July 24.
- The American Red Cross has operated 18 shelters housing
1,605 people. No shelters are currently operating. The Red Cross has
also provided 146,791 meals and snacks. The Red Cross has provided financial
assistance to 806 households affected by the fires.
- The Salvation Army has served a total of 280,207 meals
and snacks to date. They are supporting the Disaster Recovery Centers
with bottled water and refreshments. They are also providing emergency
financial assistance and pastoral care at Glenwood Springs, Cañon
City, Castle Rock and Woodland Park. There are also mobile outreach
units operating in the Hayman fire area.
- Areas included in the disaster declaration include
the counties of Adams, Alamosa, Arapahoe, Archuleta, Baca, Bent, Boulder,
Broomfield (including city), Chaffee, Cheyenne, Clear Creek, Conejos,
Costilla, Crowley, Custer, Delta, Denver (including city), Dolores,
Douglas, Eagle, Elbert, El Paso, Fremont, Garfield, Gilpin, Grand, Gunnison,
Hinsdale, Huerfano, Jefferson, Kiowa, Kit Carson, Lake, La Plata, Las
Animas, Lincoln, Mesa, Mineral, Moffat, Montezuma, Montrose, Otero,
Ouray, Park, Pitkin, Pueblo, Rio Blanco, Rio Grande, Routt, Saguache,
San Juan, San Miguel, Summit, Teller, Washington, and Yuma, and the
Southern Ute and Ute Mountain Ute Reservation.
- In addition to the June 19 disaster declaration, Colorado
has received federal assistance through 14 Fire Management Assistance
declarations. FEMA Fire Management Assistance Grants are made available
to state and local governments, including Indian tribes, to minimize
immediate adverse effects, and to manage and control fires that threaten
to cause major disasters. Under these grants, FEMA will pay 75 percent
of eligible costs incurred by state and local governments in fighting
the wildfires. Colorado has received $20 million of these funds to battle
the wildfires.
- FEMA Fire Management Assistance has been authorized in Colorado this year for the following fires: Snaking - April 23; Cuerna Verde - May 1; Black Mountain - May 5; Schoonover - May 23; Iron Mountain - June 2; Trinidad Complex - June 3; Ute Pass -June 7; Coal Seam - June 8; Hayman - June 9; Dierich - June 10; Missionary Ridge - June 11; Million - June 19; Wiley Ridge - June 23; and Valley - June 25.
Last Modified: Friday, 15-Aug-2003 10:28:44