FEMA Support To Montana's Wildfires Continues
Release Date: August 22, 2003
Release Number: R8-03-52
» 2003 Region VIII News Releases
Denver, CO -- As efforts to suppress Montana's wildfires continue, so does support from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Since mid-July, FEMA has been assisting local, state and federal wildfire efforts through its Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) program. This program enables the President to authorize grants to pay for equipment, supplies and personnel to state and local governments to minimize immediate adverse affects, and to manage and control fires that threaten to cause major disasters.
FEMA Assistance At a Glance:
- Fire Management Assistance Grants
Federal funds have been authorized to help defray certain costs associated with suppressing designated wildfires. FEMA will reimburse state and local governments 75% of the eligible fire management costs to help minimize immediate adverse fire affects, and to manage and control fires that threaten to cause major disasters.
*These grants do not provide assistance to individual residents or business owners and do not cover other infrastructure damage caused by the fires.
| Fire Name | Location | Grant Authorized |
|---|---|---|
| Missouri Breaks Complex | Garfield County | 23-Jul-03 |
| Robert Fire | Flathead County | 25-Jul-03 |
| Wedge Canyon Fire | Flathead County | 25-Jul-03 |
| Hobble Fire | Sweet Grass County | Aug. 11, 2003 |
| Cherry Creek Fire | Sanders County | Aug. 12, 2003 |
| Missoula/Mineral Fire Zone | Missoula County Mineral County Ravalli County (Cooney Ridge Fire only) |
Aug. 12, 2003 |
| Lincoln Complex | Lewis & Clark County Powell County |
Aug. 20, 2003 |
| Flathead Fire Zone | Flathead County | Aug. 21, 2003 |
- On-Scene Technical Support
FEMA emergency management specialists on the ground have been closely monitoring wildfire conditions and providing technical advice on a number of issues for local, state, and federal agencies and officials responsible for suppressing wildfires.
- Public Information Support
FEMA public affairs officers have partnered with state and U.S. Forest Service public information officers to help release essential emergency information for Montana citizens throughout the state.
- Photo/Video Documentation Teams
Photo specialists, whose images from the World Trade Center disaster have been seen worldwide, are documenting wildland firefighting operations and suppression efforts throughout the state. These fire images will be used for historical documentation and future education/training, and to support public information efforts.
- Wildfire Web site
FEMA is providing wildfire emergency and preparedness information on its Web site at www.fema.gov and providing support and information to other agency Web sites as well.
- Wildfire Situational Monitoring/Technical Support throughout FEMA's Six-State Region
FEMA regional office staff in Denver continually provide technical program and public affairs support to Montana and the region's other five-state jurisdiction.
- Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program
Federal grants through the U.S. Fire Administration, a division of FEMA, have been provided to Montana fire departments to help better equip, train and prepare local fire departments to respond to wildfires and other emergencies. Since June, 50 departments have received more than $2.6 million from FEMA to enhance their emergency response capabilities.
On March 1, 2003, FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. FEMA's continuing mission within the new department is to lead the effort to prepare the nation for all hazards and effectively manage federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates proactive mitigation activities, trains first responders, and manages Citizen Corps, the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration.
Last Modified: Monday, 25-Aug-2003 10:51:47