OAKLAND, Calif. – The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Region 9 Administrator authorized the use of federal funds on May 29 at 10:30 a.m. PDT / 1:30 p.m. EDT to assist the state of Arizona to combat the Simmons Fire burning in Pinal County.
On May 29, the state of Arizona submitted a request for a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG). At the time of the request, the fire threatened approximately 57 homes in and around Kearny, AZ, population 2,000. 180 individuals are under mandatory evacuation and 540 individuals are under voluntary evacuation.
100% percent of the threatened homes are primary residences and 0% are secondary residences. The fire is also threatening 3 businesses, 2 schools, 1 school district office, a water treatment plant, an airstrip, a railroad line, electrical distribution and transmission lines for three utility companies, the Pinal County Watershed, and a copper mine in the area.
The fire is 0% percent contained. The fire started on May 28, 2024, and has burned more than 450 acres of State and private land. There are 5 larges fires burning uncontrolled within the State.
FMAGs provide federal funding for up to 75 percent of eligible firefighting costs. The Disaster Relief Fund provides allowances for FMAGs through FEMA to assist in fighting fires that threaten to become a greater incident.
Eligible costs covered by FMAGs can include expenses for field camps, equipment use, materials, supplies and mobilization, and demobilization activities attributed to fighting the fire.
For more information on FMAGs, visit fema.gov/assistance/public/fire-management-assistance.
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FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters. Follow FEMA Region 9 online at twitter.com/femaregion9.