SEATTLE – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has authorized the use of federal funds to help with firefighting costs for the Jolly Mountain Fire burning in Kittitas County, Washington.
The FEMA Acting Regional Administrator Sharon Loper determined that the fire threatened such destruction as would constitute a major disaster. Loper approved the state of Washington’s request for a federal Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) at 2:57 a.m. PDT on September 2, 2017.
At the time of the request, the fire was threatening 528 homes in and around the areas of Driftwood Acres and Lakedale. All of the threatened homes are primary residences. The fire was also threatening Kittitas PUD Substation and Power lines, small businesses, light manufacturing and recreational areas, watershed, a fishing lake and streams, wildlife, and cultural resources in the area. Approximately 844 people were evacuated. The fire started on August 11, 2017, and had burned in excess of 15,000 acres of federal, state, private, and tribal land. Five other large fires were burning uncontrolled within the state. The fire was zero percent contained at the time of FMAG approval.
The authorization makes FEMA funding available to pay 75 percent of the state of Washington’s eligible firefighting costs for managing, mitigating and controlling designated fires. These grants provide reimbursement for firefighting and life-saving efforts. They do not provide assistance to individuals, homeowners or business owners and do not cover other infrastructure damage caused by the fire.
FMAGs are provided through the President's Disaster Relief Fund and made available by FEMA to assist in fighting fires that threaten to cause a major disaster. Eligible items can include expenses for field camps; equipment use, repair and replacement; mobilization and demobilization activities; and tools, materials and supplies.
