Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson Requests Federal Disaster Declaration for Eastern Wildfires

Federal Disaster Declaration Request

The state’s application for federal assistance focuses on both individual and public needs. Ferguson is seeking Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) individual assistance for residents of Benton, Okanogan, Spokane, and Stevens counties, as well as the Spokane Tribe. The state has also requested more than $117 million in FEMA public assistance to cover costs associated with debris removal and emergency response efforts across 11 counties, including Asotin, Chelan, Columbia, Douglas, Ferry, Grant, Whitman, and Yakima.

According to the governor, the declaration is essential for providing the financial resources necessary for communities to rebuild. Damage assessments conducted by the state indicate that 649 primary residences were destroyed, with another 19 homes sustaining major or minor damage. A further 2,523 homes experienced lower-level damage, primarily to exterior structures. Spokane County sustained the heaviest impact, accounting for 615 of the destroyed homes.

State Efforts to Expedite Recovery

Robert Ezelle, director of the Washington State Emergency Management Division, stated that the state is attempting to front-load the administrative process to ensure a rapid deployment of resources if the declaration is granted. Ezelle noted that the federal government would cover 75% of the funding, with the remaining 25% split between the state and local counties.

Ferguson expressed a desire for a faster federal response than the state experienced earlier this year during flooding events. "When we made our request for the floods earlier this year, it was seven weeks after making the request before we heard the positive response," Ferguson said. "It is my hope that the federal government will make it sooner than seven weeks."

Proposed Rebuilding Relief Measures

To address the financial burden on residents, Ferguson announced a series of proposed measures intended to lower the costs of reconstruction. The governor plans to ask the Washington State Building Code Council to allow homeowners rebuilding on their original sites to utilize older versions of the state energy code. Under this proposal, homes constructed before 2015 could adhere to 2015 standards, while those built after 2015 could use the code that was in effect at the time of their original construction.

Ferguson also intends to propose legislation during the upcoming session that would provide state and local sales and use tax rebates for homeowners rebuilding on the same property. As an example, the governor estimated that a homeowner spending $400,000 to rebuild in Spokane could receive more than $36,000 in rebates.

Eligibility and Registration

While the state prepares for potential federal aid, Ferguson cautioned that FEMA determines eligibility for individual assistance, which is typically targeted at residents who are uninsured or underinsured. Income levels are among the factors FEMA evaluates when assessing applications.

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Gov. Bob Ferguson

Ferguson urged all affected residents to register once the declaration is approved to allow FEMA to evaluate their individual circumstances. He noted that state-level assistance, unlike federal aid, is not subject to the same eligibility requirements.