President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Washington Disaster Declaration, 2021-02-04

by Joseph Robinette Biden

Today, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. declared that a major disaster exists in the State of Washington and ordered Federal assistance to supplement State, tribal, and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by wildfires and straight-line winds from September 1 to September 19, 2020.

Federal funding is available to State, tribal, and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by wildfires and straight-line winds in Douglas, Franklin, Kittitas, Lincoln, Okanogan, Pend Oreille, Skamania, Whitman, and Yakima Counties and the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation and the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

Robert J. Fenton, Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security, named Timothy B. Manner as the Federal Coordinating Officer for Federal recovery operations in the affected areas.

Additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the State and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION MEDIA SHOULD CONTACT THE FEMA NEWS DESK AT (202) 646-3272 OR FEMA-NEWS-DESK@FEMA.DHS.GOV.