BATON ROUGE, La. — FEMA has approved Louisiana’s request for a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) declaration to help wildfire fighting efforts for the Tiger Island Fire in Beauregard Parish, according to Gov. John Bel Edwards and the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP).
GOHSEP said the request was approved due to threats to lives, homes, property, critical facilities and infrastructure near Merryville and surrounding areas. The announcement came as Gov. Edwards held a Unified Command Group meeting Thursday morning with all of the responding agencies, which continue to provide state resources and assistance to all of the parishes that have been impacted by the wildfires.
“I’m grateful to the federal government for quickly approving our request for this assistance that will help Beauregard Parish combat the wildfire there that has already destroyed thousands of acres of land,” said Gov. Edwards. “I have been in constant communication with all of our federal partners from FEMA to the USDA and the White House. The situation right now is very dangerous and unpredictable, and we need the public focused on following the state burn ban that remains in place until further notice. I am asking everyone to refrain from burning anything at this time. In addition, we have asked all state agencies to halt any control burns until conditions are safer. We cannot afford to have any more fires. While state resources are being made available, firefighters on the ground are being stretched to their limits. We are thankful for the hard work they are doing and should all do our part to prevent any more fires from happening.”
This Fire Management Assistance Grant provides funding and assistance to state and local governments to help mitigate, manage, and control the fire. While FEMA Individual Assistance is not included under the FMAG declaration, federal funds and assistance provided under this declaration may support firefighting efforts and may include personnel, assets, technical assistance, and federal funding for up to 75 percent of eligible firefighting costs associated with the fire in Beauregard Parish.
------------------------------------------------------------
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere.
To reach the newsroom or report a typo/correction, click HERE.
Sign up for newsletters emailed to your inbox. Select from these options: Breaking News, Evening News Headlines, Latest COVID-19 Headlines, Morning News Headlines, Special Offers
