ICYMI: Murray Leads WA Delegation in Supporting Governor’s Request for Major Disaster Declaration for Individual Assistance for Devastating Wildfires in Washington State
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee led Washington state’s entire Congressional delegation in a letter to President Donald Trump urging him to approve Governor Bob Ferguson’s request for a Major Disaster Declaration for Public Assistance to help communities recover and repair damage due to the devastating wildfires that swept through Central and Eastern Washington from July 23 through August 31.
For the first time, on August 1, the National Weather Service upgraded a Red Flag Warning for fire weather conditions to a Particularly Dangerous Situation, which is very rare and typically reserved for extreme fire weather conditions. Three massive fires broke out and tore through neighborhoods across Spokane, the Old Trails Fire burned in northwest Spokane, the Autumn Lane Fire burned near Nine-Mile Falls, and the Fairview Fire burned in Mead. The Spokane Complex Fires forced 67,000 people to evacuate, burned nearly 10,000 acres, with damages predicted to exceed $1 billion.
This was one of Washington state’s worst wildfire seasons on record, with fires causing severe damage and threatening lives, property, businesses, and livestock. In Okanogan County, the Kaiser Canyon, Modrite, and Sinlahekin fires burned over 350,000 acres total.
“As members of the Washington state delegation, we write in support of Washington state’s addendum to include Public Assistance to their September 28th request for a Major Disaster Declaration for Individual Assistance due to devastating wildfire damages incurred from July 23rd through August 31st. We implore you to approve the request for public and individual assistance as quickly as possible,” Senator Murray and other members of the delegation wrote. “Washington state suffered from a historic wildfire season, with multiple wildfires ravaging parts of Central and Eastern Washington, devastating communities in Asotin, Chelan, Columbia, Douglas, Ferry, Grant, Okanogan, Spokane, Stevens, Whitman, and Yakima Counties, as well as the Spokane Tribe of Indians.”
Joining Senator Murray in the letter to President Trump were Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), and U.S. Representatives Suzan DelBene (D, WA-01), Rick Larsen (D, WA-02), Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D, WA-03), Dan Newhouse (R, WA-04), Michael Baumgartner (R, WA-05), Emily Randall (D, WA-06), Pramila Jayapal (D, WA-07), Kim Schrier (D, WA-08), Adam Smith (D, WA-09), and Marilyn Strickland (D, WA-10).
The lawmakers continued, “Local, Tribal, state, federal, and out-of-state firefighting crews deployed quickly, pooling resources to contain the fires and protect both life and property. Fire crews faced dangerous conditions, including hazardous terrain, high winds, and record-setting drought, which made the fires extremely difficult to contain. Many of these fires burned over the course of several weeks, and damaged public infrastructure like roads, bridges, public utility systems, and other essential public assets. Beyond the infrastructure that was completely lost to the wildfires, the prolonged exposure to fire, smoke, and extreme temperatures have left remaining infrastructure vulnerable to further damage and unsafe for the public.”
“These devastating wildfires have put significant stress on Washington state’s infrastructure and emergency response resources. Throughout the crisis, local, Tribal, state, federal, and international first responders stepped up and worked tirelessly to keep our communities safe. We thank you for your timely approval of the state’s request for an Emergency Declaration which provided vital federal support for both mitigation and recovery. We reiterate our full support for the October 6th request for a Major Disaster Declaration for Public Assistance and thank you in advance for your prompt attention to this urgent matter,” the lawmakers concluded.
The full letter is available HERE and below:
Dear Mr. President:
As members of the Washington state delegation, we write in support of Washington state’s addendum to include Public Assistance to their September 28th request for a Major Disaster Declaration for Individual Assistance due to devastating wildfire damages incurred from July 23rd through August 31st. We implore you to approve the request for public and individual assistance as quickly as possible.
Washington state suffered from a historic wildfire season, with multiple wildfires ravaging parts of Central and Eastern Washington, devastating communities in Asotin, Chelan, Columbia, Douglas, Ferry, Grant, Okanogan, Spokane, Stevens, Whitman, and Yakima Counties, as well as the Spokane Tribe of Indians.
Local, Tribal, state, federal, and out-of-state firefighting crews deployed quickly, pooling resources to contain the fires and protect both life and property. Fire crews faced dangerous conditions, including hazardous terrain, high winds, and record-setting drought, which made the fires extremely difficult to contain. Many of these fires burned over the course of several weeks, and damaged public infrastructure like roads, bridges, public utility systems, and other essential public assets. Beyond the infrastructure that was completely lost to the wildfires, the prolonged exposure to fire, smoke, and extreme temperatures have left remaining infrastructure vulnerable to further damage and unsafe for the public.
An initial damage assessment revealed that the state sustained an estimated $133.7 million in damages across eleven counties and the Spokane Tribe of Indians. In Spokane County, the Spokane Complex Fires, which burned nearly 10,000 acres, severely damaged electrical distribution systems, public water systems, transportation infrastructure, municipal equipment, public lands, and solid-waste infrastructure, resulting in over $70 million in damages.
These devastating wildfires have put significant stress on Washington state’s infrastructure and emergency response resources. Throughout the crisis, local, Tribal, state, federal, and international first responders stepped up and worked tirelessly to keep our communities safe.
We thank you for your timely approval of the state’s request for an Emergency Declaration which provided vital federal support for both mitigation and recovery. We reiterate our full support for the October 6th request for a Major Disaster Declaration for Public Assistance and thank you in advance for your prompt attention to this urgent matter.
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