Washington requests federal disaster declaration for wildfire recovery

Washington Governor Bob Ferguson has submitted a request for a federal Major Disaster Declaration to assist with recovery from devastating wildfires in eastern Washington. The request seeks FEMA Individual Assistance for residents in Spokane, Benton, Stevens, and Okanogan counties, as well as the Spokane Tribe, and FEMA Public Assistance for 11 counties to cover debris removal and emergency costs.

Damage assessments indicate that the fires, which began in early August, destroyed 649 primary residences and caused varying levels of damage to over 2,500 other homes. Total estimated damages exceed $188 million. While the federal government previously provided resources for immediate response via an emergency declaration, the requested Major Disaster Declaration would unlock additional funding for displaced individuals and municipal infrastructure recovery.