The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) has secured a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help ensure the availability of vital resources to suppress the Creek Fire burning in Fresno and Madera Counties.
The FMAG, which is provided through the President’s Disaster Relief Fund on cost-share basis, will assist local, state and tribal agencies responding to the fire to apply for 75-percent reimbursement of their eligible fire suppression costs.
The Creek Fire has burned more than 46,600 acres since it began September 5, causing evacuations of approximately 2,600 people. The recent heatwave coupled with heavy fuel in the area have made an ideal environment for dangerous fire conditions throughout the region.
The Creek fire is threatening 3,500 homes in the Camp Sierra, Big Creek, Shaver Lake, Huntington Lake, Auberry, Meadow Lakes, Mammoth Pools, Cascadel Woods, North Fork, Arnold Meadows, Bass Lake, Kinsman Flat and Beasore Meadows areas.
Cal OES Fire and Rescue personnel are responding in concert with other federal, state and local agencies to address emergency management and mutual aid needs for the fire.
The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued Excessive Heat Warnings for the area.
Current weather conditions are causing extreme fire behavior, even in overnight hours, and the weather pattern is expected to extend through next week.