BOTHELL, Wash. – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) authorized the use of federal funds to help with firefighting costs for the Modrite Fire burning in Ferry County, Washington, on the lands of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation.
The state of Washington’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 Thursday, July 30, 2026, at 8:01 p.m. PT. He determined that the Modrite Fire threatened to cause such destruction as would constitute a major disaster. This is the fifth FMAG declaration in 2026 to help fight Washington wildfires.
At the time of the state’s request, the wildfire threatened homes in and around the community of Inchelium. The fire also threatened tribally owned infrastructure, including the Inchelium Community Center, Colville Tribal EMS Fire and Rescue, Stim-oos Park, Colville Tribal Child Care Center, Inchelium Library, Inchelium Wood Treatment Plant and a campground.
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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