FEMA Authorizes Funds For Another Wyoming Wildfire
Release Date: August 1, 2001
Release Number: HQ-01-072
Washington, DC -- Federal funds were authorized today by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help Wyoming fight another uncontrolled wildfire burning in Weston County.
The state's request for federal fire suppression aid was approved late this morning after it was reported that the Elk Mountain II fire posed a threat to 50 homes in the Fergursen Canyon subdivision. The fire, which broke out last Monday, had burned 6,000 acres of land and forced the evacuation of 26 families at the time of the request.
The authorization is the second granted Wyoming in the past week. The state previously was designated for FEMA firefighting assistance last Thursday for the Green Knoll fire that was endangering homes in the Jackson Hole area of Teton County.
Under the authorizations, FEMA will pay 70 percent of the state's eligible firefighting costs that are above $51,367. 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 16:32:56