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State preparing major disaster request to unlock federal funding for wildfire recovery
Summary
Governor Ferguson said the state will file a separate major disaster declaration request—different from immediate emergency assistance—to unlock substantial federal funds for individuals and municipalities; he estimated a likely mid-September deadline for the submission and urged local jurisdictions to document damage.
At the press conference Governor Bob Ferguson said Washington has received immediate disaster assistance and is preparing a separate major disaster declaration request that would unlock broader financial aid for individuals and local governments.
"There are essentially two big asks we have of the federal government... The first is immediate disaster assistance which they have granted. The second is a request for a major disaster declaration, a totally different request," Ferguson said, explaining that the major disaster declaration requires detailed estimates of damage and documentation showing the scale of the disaster exceeds state capacity. He said the state anticipates a filing window with an approximate mid-September deadline and will solicit detailed damage reports from local governments and tribal nations to make a compelling case.
Ferguson urged elected officials, community leaders and local contacts with the federal government to help present the scope of destruction in Central and Eastern Washington. He said the state's submission will include preliminary estimates on assistance types needed and documentation of resources already used in the response.
