SPOKANE, Wash. — As Medical Lake and Elk residents continue to recover from a devastating wildfire season, Washington state's governor is looking to the Commander in Chief for recovery assistance.
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee sent a letter to President Joe Biden on Wednesday asking for a major disaster declaration for the Gray and Oregon Road fires. In the letter, Inslee asked the president to make more financial assistance available to survivors and to allow government agencies to assist with debris cleanup.
The Gray and Oregon Road fires devastated areas of Spokane County this summer, destroying nearly 20,000 acres, hundreds of homes and taking the lives of two people. More than two months after the fires sparked, the Medical Lake and Elk communities are still trying to recover from the devastation.
Inslee previously expanded the Family Emergency Assistance Program (FEAP) for Spokane County wildfire victims, which allowed families with and without children to apply for financial assistance. But on Wednesday, the governor reached out to President Biden to ask for more federal assistance for survivors.
In the letter, Inslee asked Biden to make financial assistance available through the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Individual Assistance Program. This would make financial assistance and direct services available to people and households who have uninsured or underinsured expenses.
Inslee also requested the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) help with debris management and disposal in both communities. The governor said their focus would be on preventing debris and contaminants from impacting local waterways.
To read the full letter, click here.
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