Cantwell, McMorris Rodgers Request Immediate Update from Biden Administration on Pending Wildfire Assistance
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R, WA-5th) requested an immediate update from the Biden administration on the status of Governor Jay Inslee’s request for a Major Disaster Declaration following the Gray and Oregon Road fires in Spokane County.
In a letter to President Biden, the lawmakers ask whether or not communities impacted by the August wildfires – who have been waiting patiently for more than 100 days since Gov. Inslee’s October 4, 2023 request – can expect federal resources to aid in their recovery efforts. Sen. Cantwell and Rep. McMorris Rodgers sent a letter to President Biden in support of the governor’s request for a Major Disaster Declaration in October of last year.
Below are excerpts from their letter:
“The Oregon and Gray Road fires burned more than 22,484 acres and destroyed over 710 structures, including 366 homes. That is more homes destroyed than any other fire in Washington state history, and led to more than 1,000 residents being displaced during the emergency event with many still lacking permanent housing.
“Spokane County determined that critical recovery and infrastructure projects associated with the Oregon and Gray Road fires will cost the city approximately $63M dollars … In addition, many survivors are uninsured or underinsured and are still struggling to rebuild their homes.
“Federal assistance through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Individual Assistance program would help tremendously with defraying the cost for these projects and expediting getting these individuals the resources they need.
“The Greater Spokane Area is the largest urban wildlife interface in the state and is the 4th most at-risk community in the state for wildfires. The community needs to begin to rebuild and mitigate against future disasters now. That is why we are requesting an immediate update on when a determination on the Gray and Oregon Road Major Disaster Declaration request will be made. We also strongly urge you to approve the Major Disaster Declaration request to ensure Spokane County, and specifically the Medical Lake and Elk communities, can access the federal resources they urgently need to continue to respond to this tragedy.”
The full letter text is available HERE.
As wildfires become more frequent and intense, Sen. Cantwell is working to ensure that communities have access to the resources necessary to prevent, prepare, fight and recover from major fires. She secured billions of dollars to support wildfire response and recovery in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, including $3.4 billion for wildfire risk reduction, $1.14 billion for Hazardous Fuels Reduction programs, and $500 million for Burned Area Rehabilitation Programs. In addition, she helped secure an additional $1.8 billion for the U.S. Forest Service Hazardous Fuels Reduction Program as part of the Inflation Reduction Act. At an April Senate hearing, she called on U.S. Forest Service Chief Randy Moore to hire more firefighters ahead of the 2023 wildfire season.
In November 2022, Sen. Cantwell helped secure emergency funding to stabilize fire-scarred land around Highway 2 near Sultan caused by the Bolt Creek Fire. In May 2022, she introduced the Fire Ready Nation Act, which would improve the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s wildfire response and forecasting.
In May 2023, Sen. Cantwell introduced the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio Modernization Act and the National Weather Service Communications Improvement Act, bipartisan bills aimed at modernizing the nation’s weather communication and radio service as the country faces more frequent and intense weather events. The Senate unanimously passed both bills in December 2023.
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