California Secures Federal Assistance to Support Response to Park Fire

Main Body: 1. The Park Fire: A Growing Threat The Park Fire, a fast-moving wildfire, poses an immediate danger to the residents and natural resources of Butte County. Its rapid spread has prompted mandatory evacuations and the need for additional resources to combat the blaze effectively. 2. FEMA's Fire Management Assistance Grant The Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) secured by California through FEMA's President's Disaster Relief Fund will play a crucial role in supporting local, state, and tribal agencies responding to the Park Fire. This grant allows eligible agencies to apply for a 75-percent reimbursement of their fire suppression costs, helping to alleviate the financial burden and ensure the availability of essential resources. 3. Cal OES: Administering Rapid Financial Assistance The California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) administers the FMAG program, enabling communities impacted by wildfires to receive rapid financial assistance. This support is critical in ensuring the efficient deployment of resources and the swift response needed to contain and extinguish wildfires. 4. Previous FMAGs: Thompson, French, and Hawarden Fires California has already benefited from FMAGs earlier this wildfire season. The Thompson, French, and Hawarden fires, which collectively burned nearly 5,000 acres, received federal assistance through the FMAG program. These grants have proven instrumental in bolstering firefighting efforts and mitigating the impact of these devastating wildfires.