OAKLAND, Calif. - The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) regional administrator authorized the use of federal funds on Aug. 8 to assist the state of Hawaii to combat the Kohala Ranch Fire burning in Hawaii County.
On Aug. 8, the state of Hawaii submitted a request for a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG). At the time of the request, the fire threatened approximately 200 homes in and around Kohala Ranch, with evacuations taking place for approximately 500 people. The fire also threatened a volunteer fire department, local transmission lines and an AT&T cell tower in the area.
FMAGs provide federal funding for up to 75 percent of eligible firefighting costs. The Disaster Relief Fund provides allowances for FMAGs through FEMA to assist in fighting fires that threaten to become a greater incident.
Eligible costs covered by FMAGs can include expenses for field camps, equipment use, materials, supplies and mobilization, and demobilization activities attributed to fighting the fire.
For more information on FMAGs, visit fema.gov/assistance/public/fire-management-assistance.
Source: Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency