OLYMPIA, Wash. — Washington Sen. Maria Cantwell and Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers are seeking an update from President Joe Biden on the potential aid for the victims of two wildfires that destroyed hundreds of Spokane County homes last August.
The two Washington delegates sent a letter to President Biden on Monday asking for an update on the status of Gov. Jay Inslee's request made in October.
Gov. Inslee's request asked for federal assistance to help with recovery efforts after the Gray and Oregon Road fires. According to Spokane County’s estimate, recovery and infrastructure projects will cost the county nearly $63 million.
“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,” Cantwell and McMorris Rodgers wrote.
According to FEMA’s website, they can determine which disasters qualify for federal aid based on a calculation of the total cost of damage in relation to emergency funds that state and local governments have available.
“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,” Cantwell and McMorris Rodgers wrote. “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.”
To read the full letter, click here.
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