SACRAMENTO – In a swift move to secure additional funding and resources to combat the rapidly spreading Park Fire, Governor Gavin Newsom announced that California has obtained a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). This grant will ensure the availability of crucial resources to suppress the fire burning in Butte County.
The fast-moving Park Fire near the city of Chico has already scorched more than 45,000 acres, leading to the evacuation of over 3,500 people. Real-time updates, including road closures, evacuation maps, and centers, can be found at fire.ca.gov.
The FMAG, provided through the President’s Disaster Relief Fund on a cost-share basis, will help local, state, and tribal agencies respond to the fire by covering 75 percent of their eligible fire suppression costs. Administered through the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), the program offers rapid financial assistance to communities affected by fires.
This wildfire season, California has already secured FMAGs for the Thompson, French, and Hawarden fires, which burned nearly 5,000 acres.