FEMA Authorizes Funds For Utah Wildfire
Release Date: August 19, 2001
Release Number: HQ-01-089
Washington, DC -- The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has authorized the use of federal funds to help Utah fight the uncontrolled Mollie fire burning in Utah County near the city of Provo.
According to the agency, the state's request for federal fire suppression aid was approved late yesterday after it was reported that the fire posed a threat to approximately 220 homes in the Santaquin subdivision and the town of Elkridge. The fire, which broke out last Saturday, had burned more than 2,200 acres of land and forced the evacuation of 80 people at the time of the request.
Under the authorization, FEMA will pay 70 percent of the state's eligible firefighting costs that are above $113,532. 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: Wednesday, 15-Oct-2003 10:06:00