(The Center Square) – Four hundred thousand in state taxpayer dollars will be open for assisting Gila County as the Watch Fire persist in eastern Arizona.
The fire is largely impacting the San Carlos Apache Tribe as over 1,000 acres have burned and some people have lost homes, according to Arizona’s Family. The money is coming from the Joint Heat Relief Initiative through the state Department of Emergency and Military Affairs, according to a news release.
“Fire season in Arizona can have deadly consequences for communities across our state,” Hobbs said in a statement on Friday. “I express my condolences to everybody who has been affected by the devastating fire.”
“Thank you to every first responder who has stood in harm’s way to fight this fire and protect Arizonans. I’m proud to be delivering this immediate relief to tribal, county and municipal governments affected by the Watch Fire, and will continue working to deliver support to Arizonans affected by natural disasters. But I know we need more support. I stand with the San Carlos Apache Tribe in asking the federal government for a major disaster declaration, allowing FEMA to deliver critical assistance to communities on the ground during this fire season,” she continued.
The news release from the governor’s office added that the funding is coming from the heat initiative in order to allow “maximum flexibility” with the money, as they say state law prohibits direct financial support when a traditional State of Emergency is declared. On X, formerly known as Twitter, Hobbs tweeted that she spoke with the tribe chairman Terry Rambler on Friday and would both would like to see the federal government put forth a “major disaster declaration.”
The possible cause of the fire is arson, according to 12 News. There are two other major wildfires currently underway in Arizona, the Pius Fire near Payson and the Freeman Fire in Tucson. The state Department of Forestry and Fire Management insists there is no distinct fire season in the Grand Canyon State.