Federal Funds Authorized For Everglades Complex Fire
Release Date: April 25, 2001
Release Number: HQ-01-028
Washington, DC -- Federal funds were authorized today by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help Florida fight another outbreak of uncontrolled wildfires burning in Miami-Dade and Monroe counties.
According to the agency, the state's request for federal fire suppression aid was approved this afternoon after it was reported that the 8,000-acre Everglades Complex Fire posed an immediate threat to 270 homes and caused the evacuation of a youth correctional facility.
The authorization is the third granted to the state in the last week and the sixth for the year. Florida fires previously designated for assistance were the Myakka Complex Fire in Charlotte, Desoto, Hardee, Manatee and Sarasota counties (April 18); the Orlando Complex Fire in Brevard, Orange and Osceola counties (April 17); the Caloosahatchee Complex Fire in Collier, Hendry and Lee counties (February 19); the Okeechobee Complex Fire in Glades, Highlands, Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee and St. Lucie counties (February 19); and the Lakeland Complex Fire in Hillsborough, Pinellas and Polk counties (February 18).
Under the authorizations, FEMA is paying 70 percent of the state's eligible firefighting costs that are above $1,520,356. 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: Friday, 17-Oct-2003 14:17:05