FEMA wildfire recovery funds available

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) said wildfire recovery funds are available via the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP).

The initiative spans Fire Management Assistance declarations for fiscal years 2017-2018 from Oct. 1, 2016, through Sept. 30, 2018, noting 85 events in 19 states are eligible for HMGP Post Fire grants.

FEMA officials said the process involves the agency sending a formal funding notification letter to each eligible applicant, with eligible states, tribes or territories then having six months from the date of the funding notification letter to apply for funds.

An eligible state, tribe or territory applicant must have a FEMA-approved mitigation plan in order to receive HMGP Post Fire grants, per guidelines, adding for a standard Hazard Mitigation plan, the amount is $425,008 for each declaration while an enhanced plan is $566,667 per declaration. Funding from multiple events shall be aggregated into one grant under the first declaration.

Some eligible wildfire project types include the creation of perimeters around residential and non-residential buildings and structures through the removal or reduction of flammable vegetation; applying non-combustible building envelop assemblies, the use of ignition-resistant materials, and the use of proper retrofit techniques in new and existing structures; and vegetation management to reduce hazardous fuels, vegetation thinning and the reduction of flammable materials to protect life and property beyond defensible space perimeters but proximate to at-risk structures.