OAKLAND, Calif. — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has authorized the use of federal funds to assist the State of California to combat the Pawnee Fire burning in Lake County.
On June 24, 2018, the State of California submitted a request for a Fire Management Assistance Declaration for the Pawnee Fire. At the time of the request, the fire was threatening 508 homes in and around the community of Spring Valley. The fire was also threatening utilities and watershed. Mandatory evacuations were issued for approximately 1,500 people with the potential for further evacuations.
The fire started on June 23, 2018, and has burned in excess of 2,500 acres of state and private land. The fire was zero percent contained. There are three other large fires burning uncontrolled within the state.
The FEMA Regional Administrator determined the Pawnee Fire threatened such destruction as would constitute a major disaster. The state’s request was approved on June 24, 2018, at 10:56 AM PDT and was designated as FEMA-5244-FM-CA.
Fire Management Assistance Grants (FMAGs) provide federal funding for up to 75 percent of eligible firefighting costs. The Disaster Relief Fund provides funding for FMAGs through FEMA to assist in fighting fires that threaten to cause major disasters. 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 media inquiries related to FEMA’s support to the fires, please contact (510) 627-7006.
FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters. Follow FEMA Region IX online www.twitter.com/femaregion9 or view more news releases at https://www.fema.gov/fema-regions/region-ix.
