|
FEMA authorizes
funds for Broughton wildfire
September 21, 2007,
updated at 8:35 a.m.
SEATTLE – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
has authorized the use of federal funds to help the State of
Washington fight the Broughton Wildfire, burning near the Columbia
River in Skamania County, three miles west of White Salmon.
FEMA Administrator R. David Paulison said that Washington’s
request for federal fire management assistance was approved after
it was confirmed that the fire, estimated to be 250 acres is size,
has caused a mandatory evacuation of 400 residents from 100
immediately-threatened homes. Five homes are already reported as
being damaged or destroyed, and two miles of State Highway 14 was
closed due to heavy smoke.
The authorization makes FEMA funding available to pay 75
percent of the state’s eligible firefighting costs under an
approved grant for managing, mitigating, and controlling
designated fires.
Photo by Kirby Neumann-Rea |
