FEMA authorized the use of federal funds to help with firefighting costs for the Richard Spring Fire burning in Rosebud County, Mont.
FEMA Acting Regional Administrator Tammy Littrell approved the state’s request for a federal Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) after receiving the request this afternoon and determining that the fire threatened such destruction that it would constitute a major disaster.
Fire threat
At the time of the request, the Richard Spring Fire was threatening 1,881 primary homes and 209 secondary homes eight miles southwest of Colstrip, MT, and neighboring communities, affecting a population of 5,265.
The fire is also threatening critical infrastructure to include emergency facilities. Voluntary evacuations are taking place for approximately 600 people. The fire started on August 8, 2021, and has burned in excess of 70,000 acres.
Approved grant
FMAG are provided through the President's Disaster Relief Fund and are made available by FEMA The authorization makes FEMA funding available to pay 75 percent of the state’s eligible firefighting costs under an approved grant for managing, mitigating, and controlling designated fires. These grants do not provide assistance to individual home or business owners and do not cover other infrastructure damage caused by the fire.
Fire Management Assistance Grants are provided through the President's Disaster Relief Fund and are 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.
Additional Funding
With the FMAG authorization, additional funding is made available through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) Post Fire for the mitigation of wildfire and related hazards, such as flood after fire or erosion.
Some eligible wildfire project types include defensible space measures, ignition-resistant construction, and hazardous fuels reduction.