DUCHESNE COUNTY, Utah – The federal government will release funding to help crews battle theDollar Ridge fire, which caused evacuations and threatened structures in both Duchesne and Wasatch Counties.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) authorized the use of funds Monday to help fight the fire, which moved from burning 6,000 to 30,000 acres in just hours.
Utah sent the request for funds to FEMA Regional VIII Acting Administrator Nancy Dragani, who approved the federal Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG).
The authorization allowed for FEMA funds to pay for 75 percent of the state’s eligible firefighting costs. The grant does not provide assistance to individual home or business owners and does not cover other infrastructure damage caused by the fire.
At the time of the request, FEMA stated that over 100 homes were immediately threatened by the fire.
The fire was also threatening infrastructure, including gas and oil wells and the Strawberry River Watershed.
“Fire Management Assistance Grants are provided through the President’s Disaster Relief Fund and made available by FEMA to assist in fighting fires that threaten to cause a major disaster,” FEMA wrote in a press release. “Eligible items can include expenses for field camps; equipment use, repair and replacement; mobilization and demobilization activities; and tools, materials and supplies.”
