Federal Funds Authorized To Help Fight Nevada Wildfire
Release Date: August 2, 2000
Release Number: HQ-00-035a
Washington, D.C. -- Federal funds have been made available by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help Nevada battle the uncontrolled Arrow Creek fire located in Washoe County.
According to the agency, the state's request for federal fire suppression aid was approved last night after it was reported that the blaze had razed four homes and forced between 250 and 300 people to flee another 150 threatened residences in the towns of Arrow Creek and Windy Hill southwest of Reno. The fire, which was started by lightning, had consumed more than 1,000 acres of land at the time of the request.
The funding authorization is the second to be granted for the state this year. In addition to the Arrow Creek fire, federal funding was previously approved for the Reno Complex fires that also posed a threat to populated areas in Washoe County in late June.
Under the authorizations, FEMA will pay 70 percent of the state's eligible firefighting costs that are above $329,727. 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 11:11:16