California received a Fire Management Assistance Grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency on Friday to help suppress the Canyon Fire that is endangering the lives of many locals in Los Angeles and Ventura counties.
California sent FEMA a request for a FMAG on Thursday. The following day, FEMA’s Region 9 Administrator approved the use of federal funding to help the state, according to a FEMA press release.
“Thank you to the brave men and women who are fighting the Canyon Fire and other wildfires throughout the state,” California Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a press release Friday. “This assistance will help our partners protect California communities.”
The Canyon Fire erupted near Lake Piru in Ventura County on Thursday at 1:25 p.m. Pacific time and quickly spread into Los Angeles County. As of Friday afternoon, the fire has burned 5,370 acres and is 25% contained, according to a Canyon Fire incident report posted by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
FEMA said at the time of California’s request, the fire was threatening around 5,118 homes in and around Hasley Canyon and Val Verde, setting evacuation orders for around 5,000 people and evacuation warnings for another 11,000 people.
The FMAG will provide agencies responding to the Canyon Fire funding for up to 75 percent of eligible firefighting costs.
FEMA said several of the eligible costs covered by FMAG’s can include “expenses for field camps, equipment use, materials, supplies and mobilization and demobilization activities attributed to fighting the fire.”
The Canyon Fire is under Ventura County Fire Department and Los Angeles County Fire Department jurisdiction.
