BOTHELL, Wash. – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) authorized the use of federal funds to help with firefighting costs for the Grasshopper Fire burning in Wasco County, Oregon.
The state of Oregon’s request for a declaration under FEMA’s Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) program was approved by FEMA Region 10 Acting Regional Administrator Vincent J. Maykovich on Saturday, July 25, 2026, at 8:04 p.m. PT. He determined that the Grasshopper Fire threatened to cause such destruction as would constitute a major disaster. This is the third FMAG declaration in 2026 to help fight Oregon wildfires.
At the time of the state’s request, the wildfire threatened homes in and around the communities of Tygh Valley, Wamic and Pine Hollow, and the subdivision of Sportsman’s Park. The fire also threatened commercial and residential buildings, roads, radio and cell facilities, gas and electric utilities, campgrounds and trails.
FMAGs make funding available to pay up to 75 percent of a state’s eligible firefighting costs for fires that threaten to become major disasters. Eligible items can include expenses for field camps, equipment use, materials, supplies and mobilization and demobilization activities attributed to fighting the fire. These grants do not provide assistance to individual home or business owners and do not cover other infrastructure damage caused by the fire.
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