WASHINGTON — FEMA Administrator Cameron Hamilton visited communities damaged by the wildfires in the eastern portion of Washington state and met with state and local emergency management, tribal officials and community leaders to advance President Trump and Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin’s commitment to faster, more accountable and state-led disaster recovery.
During the visit, Administrator Hamilton received a briefing from local emergency management officials and fire personnel on the initial response to the wildfires, resource challenges and the countywide risk of wildland fires. He then surveyed areas that were affected by the Spokane Complex Fires, including the Rifle Club, Five Mile Prairie and Balboa neighborhoods, and an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Household Hazardous Materials project site at Riverside Real Life Church where faith leaders and volunteers shared their experiences. Administrator Hamilton also sat down with more than 20 tribal leaders to learn about the impacts of this wildfire season and the unique needs of tribal communities. The visit underscored the importance of state, tribal and locally led response and recovery efforts and FEMA’s role in supporting the state and tribes.
“President Trump and Secretary Mullin have made it clear that disaster recovery should be fast, efficient and state-led. We want to remove the federal government from being a limiting factor, and we want to ensure states receive funding quickly so that recovery efforts can improve,” said FEMA Administrator Cameron Hamilton. “Speeding up the entire process and ensuring communities recover quickly is critical because it will drive these communities’ economic interests while helping them be more resilient than before.”
FEMA remains committed to removing roadblocks, cutting red tape and eliminating bureaucratic processes that slow down recovery.
On Aug. 4, President Trump approved an Emergency Declaration to support the state’s response efforts in Spokane, as well as Chelan, Ferry, Okanogan, Stevens and Yakima counties and the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation and Spokane Tribe of Indians. At the state’s request, under this declaration, FEMA has:
- Assigned EPA to safely remove hazardous materials from homes and neighborhoods.
- Established two wildland firefighter base camps for up to 2,000 firefighters.
- Positioned federal staging areas with critical supplies.
- Worked with the Civil Air Patrol to collect aerial imagery of damage to inform response planning and recovery assessments.
FEMA will continue to collaborate with the state and Tribal Nations to identify opportunities to enhance state-led recovery efforts and offer ways to accelerate programmatic requirements while upholding strict accountability and oversight measures that protect taxpayer dollars.