FEMA AWARDS $3 MILLION TO MITIGATE WILDFIRE RISK IN ASHLAND
[https://www.fema.gov/press-release/20230503/fema-awards-3-million-mitigate-wildfire-risk-ashland]


Release Date: 
4월 29, 2021 

BOTHELL, WASH. – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
awarded a $3 million grant to Ashland, Oregon, to create wildfire
defensible space around 1,100 homes and to replace 23 wood shake roofs
with ignition-resistant roof material. 

The City of Ashland in Oregon’s Jackson County is in a high wildfire
risk zone. In the fall of 2020, neighboring communities of Talent and
Phoenix were devastated by the Almeda Fire, which burned 2,977 acres
and destroyed over 2,300 structures. 

This mitigation project will help protect the identified structures
and nearby structures from wildfires and will help homes in the
Ashland area comply with recommended local best practices for wildfire
risk reduction. Replacing wood shake roofs and providing defensible
space to structures reduces the risk of wildfire spread and diminishes
the likelihood of wildfires starting from embers. Once these highly
flammable roofs are replaced, these types of roofs will no longer be
allowed in Ashland.

This $3 million Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) grant
[https://www.fema.gov/grants/mitigation/pre-disaster] is paid directly
to the Oregon Office of Emergency Management to then disburse to the
City of Ashland. These funds are authorized under Section 203 of the
Stafford Act and target structures that have the greatest wildfire
risk. The City of Ashland is contributing a $1 million cost-share,
making the total value of this grant $4 million.

The project includes hiring a project manager, preliminary assessments
of identified homes, surveys for vegetation removal, scheduling and
training of pre-approved contractors, removal of vegetation, and
reconstruction of roofs.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act, this project
went through an environmental assessment and a subsequent Finding of
No Significant Impact was issued.

###

Follow FEMA Region 10 on Twitter [https://twitter.com/femaregion10]
and LinkedIn [http://www.linkedin.com/company/fema-region-10] for the
latest updates and visit FEMA.gov
[https://www.fema.gov/grants/mitigation/pre-disaster] for more
information.

_FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after
disasters._