Oregon State Lawmakers Ask FEMA To Reconsider

Two Republican state lawmakers and a Democrat are asking FEMA to reconsider its denial of emergency grants for a few Oregon wildfires. State senator, Republican David Brock Smith, said this disastrous fire season hurts all Oregonians.

"The Evans Creek Fire is just south of my southern district boundary for Senate District One. But it did impact, of course, constituents and neighbors," Brock Smith noted.

While FEMA approved disaster grants for three Oregon fires, it denied the request for the East Evans Creek Fire and the Rowe Creek Complex. Brock Smith said reversing that decision would send much-needed money to agencies fighting fires on federal lands.

"But, also, it would give assurance that the criteria, moving forward, will stay the same," Brock Smith said. "Because we’re only halfway through fire season and there are more than likely going to be a number of other fires on the landscape."

He added if FEMA wants to change the criteria for fire emergency grants, it should have those discussions outside of fire season.

Brock Smith, who is also the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate, joined Prineville Republican State Representative Vicki Breese-Iverson and Democratic State Representative Emerson Levy of Bend, on letters asking FEMA to reconsider.

As of Friday, the agency announced it would approve funding for the Fox Fire, which has burned more than 77,000 acres in Baker County. However, FEMA continues to deny Oregon’s request for federal help to cover the cost of the East Evans Creek Fire, in southwest Oregon.