by Jake Goldstein-Street, Washington State Standard
September 28, 2026
Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson on Monday asked President Donald Trump for tens of millions of dollars in federal aid to help communities recover from devastating wildfires this summer.
Across the state, 649 primary residences were destroyed, mostly in Spokane County, according to the governor’s office. More than 2,500 more were damaged to some extent. The financial toll of this damage exceeds $188 million, Ferguson said. In all, the total damage is estimated to be hundreds of millions dollars more.
Ferguson announced the ask in Spokane, where a trio of blazes in early August forced tens of thousands of residents to evacuate and destroyed hundreds of homes and other buildings. The complex of fires is considered the worst disaster the region has seen in years. He also unveiled ideas to help residents rebuild their homes.
“We’re in for the long haul on this,” Ferguson said. “This is going to take a long time to dig out from this and to get folks the help that they need.”
The Trump administration granted Ferguson’s earlier request for immediate help from federal agencies during the fires. The state’s new entreaty is meant to help the communities recover.
The money sought under Monday’s request for a major disaster declaration would help individuals, nonprofits and state, tribal and local governments. This could include grants for temporary housing, home repairs and low-cost loans to cover those recovering, and cost-sharing for emergency work public agencies undertook during the fires.
The individual assistance is for residents of Spokane, Benton, Stevens and Okanogan counties, as well as the Spokane Tribe of Indians. Ferguson estimated the feds could provide at least $11 million for this purpose. The maximum aid this program can provide is $42,500 per person. Yakama Nation and the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation are pursuing their own similar requests, separate from the state’s.
About 70% of homes affected across these four counties and one tribal reservation are insured. But insurance won’t fully cover the recovery costs.
“That is why federal resources we are requesting today are absolutely essential,” Ferguson said.
Separate federal aid for local, state and tribal governments that Ferguson is asking for could cover costs in Asotin, Chelan, Columbia, Douglas, Ferry, Grant, Okanogan, Spokane, Stevens, Whitman and Yakima counties. The state estimates it qualifies for over $117 million in this funding.
The state is specifically seeking funding to help with debris removal and recover costs for emergency protective measures, like hundreds of generators that were deployed. More requests are forthcoming dealing with damaged roads and other needs.
More than 900,000 acres have burned in Washington this year, making 2026 one of the worst wildfire years in recent memory. While the peak of the fire season appears to be over, several large blazes continue to burn.
At least two people have died in the wildfires, one in the Chelan Hills Fire in July and the other in the Upriver Fire in June in the Spokane area.
It will take weeks before the state gets an answer from the White House on Monday’s request for what is called a major disaster declaration.
“What we need right now is the federal government to move very, very, very quickly,” Ferguson said. “We need the federal government to step up and help out folks right here in our community who are really, really hurt and need that help.”
Since Trump retook office last year, concerns have festered about his politicization of disaster aid, favoring Republican-led states while shutting out states run by Democrats. Washington saw this with Trump’s denial of aid for the 2024 bomb cyclone windstorm.
The president did OK a disaster declaration for the historic flooding that hit the state in December. This resulted in the distribution of upward of $14 million in federal assistance.
Ferguson, a Democrat, and U.S. Rep. Michael Baumgartner, R-Spokane, asked last month to meet with the president to discuss the then-forthcoming request. They haven’t heard back, Ferguson said Monday, though the governor noted federal officials have so far been “tremendously helpful.”
Baumgartner said he spoke with Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin on Monday morning. Mullin’s agency oversees the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Baumgartner is confident Trump will approve the state’s request.
“This has just been a unified effort across the board,” Baumgartner said, “and that has been great to see.”
Washington’s 12-member congressional delegation penned a letter to Trump on Monday urging him to approve the state’s funding request.
Speeding up the rebuild
Sherry Merritt lost her home of 45 years in the Spokane fires. Her family evacuated with nothing but their medicine, she said.
“I pray that all of us will recover, both mentally, spiritually, physically, and financially,” Merritt said in a press conference alongside Ferguson and other elected officials.
Ferguson tasked Lt. Gov. Denny Heck with providing recommendations that would help homeowners like Merritt rebuild faster.
For one, Ferguson said Monday that he is pushing the state Building Code Council to allow those whose homes burned down to rebuild with older energy standards to make it cheaper. Homes built before 2015 would be rebuilt to 2015 standards, and those built later would be rebuilt based on the code when the home was originally constructed, under the governor’s proposal.
The governor will also push legislation to offer rebates on state and local sales and use taxes for costs stemming from efforts to rebuild after a disaster. He’ll also waive the state fee on building permits in wildfire-affected counties.
The state has distributed $1 million of its own individual assistance to more than 600 households. Applications are still open.
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