FEMA Adds Milam Street Fire to Texas Assistance List 

Release Date: September 11, 2000
Release Number: HQ-00-091b

Washington, D.C. -- The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reported today that the uncontrolled Milam Street fire in Caldwell County has been added to the list of eight other Texas wildfires designated for federal fire suppression assistance over the past week.

According to the agency, the state's latest request for fire suppression funding was approved last night after it was reported that the 100-acre Milam Street blaze posed a threat to 50 homes and 25 other structures in the city of Luling.

The action follows requests that were approved last week for the Deep Creek fire in McCulloch and San Saba counties (Sept. 8); the Frost fire in Kendall County and the Mesquite Creek fire in Lampasas County (Sept. 7); the Sheppard Reese fire in Kerr County, the Warren Chapel fire in Tyler County and the Peach Creek fire in Montgomery County (Sept. 5); the Stanley Mainline fire in Liberty County (Sept. 4); and the Moore Branch fire in Newton County (Sept. 3).

The latest authorizations bring to 15 the number of Texas fires that have been designated for fire suppression assistance this year. Fires previously designated for aid included the Ranger Hill fire in Eastland County (Aug. 30); the Live Oak Loop fire in Hill County (Aug. 26); the Chicken fire in Nacogdoches County (Aug. 24); the Bob's Trail fire in Bastrop County (Jan. 5); the Purgatory fire in Comal County (Jan. 4); and the Saddleback fire in Wise County (Jan. 3).

Under the authorizations, FEMA will pay 70 percent of the state's eligible firefighting costs that are above $355,097. 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 10:46:59