Earlier this week, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek sent a letter to President Biden requesting a federal major disaster declaration, following one of the most devastating wildfire seasons in the state’s history.  If approved, the declaration would provide supplemental grants through FEMA’s Public Assistance Program for state, tribal, local governments, and certain private nonprofits.

 

Those grants could then be used to cover costs incurred for responding and recovering from wildfires between July 10th and September 7th of this year.

 

“I am asking President Biden and the federal government to provide relief to the rural Oregon communities who weathered an unprecedented, destructive wildfire season,” Kotek said.  “Despite the scale and persistence of the wildfires, our fire and emergency teams put their lives on the line –with little rest– to protect Oregonians and what they hold dear.  Our rural communities are still in profound crisis as a result of this season, and I am resolved to secure the federal assistance needed for Oregon to recover and rebuild.”

 

The request applies to six Oregon counties – Gilliam, Grant, Jefferson, Umatilla, Wasco, and Wheeler – that experienced significant damage and destruction to utility poles and lines, resulting in power, communication, and internet outages; disruptions to travel and the ability to conduct emergency responses; and mass sheltering needs for medically fragile, older adults and isolated persons without power.  The Governor also requested that the President waive the state’s share of the cost for emergency work in response to the disaster.  The rural counties impacted by the wildfires have limited resources to support the standard share of the cost and the magnitude of state resources deployed across Oregon means state funding is insufficient to reimburse these communities.

A record 1.9 million acres burned this wildfire season, overwhelming the state’s 10-year average of 640,000 acres per season. Fires destroyed at least 42 homes and 132 other structures and caused severe disruptions to transportation, utility infrastructure, and social services. Ranchers in Eastern Oregon lost access to critical resources for their livestock, leading to long-term challenges in restoring the land and significant lost business revenue.

 

The federal government typically takes approximately six weeks after submission of a federal major disaster declaration request to respond.

 

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