Governor Secures FMAG to Assist Response Agencies Battling the Hill Fire

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SACRAMENTO –  Governor Gavin Newsom 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 Hill Fire burning in Riverside County. The FMAG also enables local, state and tribal agencies to recover eligible costs.

The fire started on October 30, 2019 and has burned in excess of 250 acres of State and private land and is 0% contained. The fire is currently threatening 100 homes in Jurupa Valley, CA with a population of 4,500. About 85% of the threatened homes are primary residences and 15% are secondary homes. The fire is also threatening Ontario International Airport, HWY 60, and utility transmission lines.

Mandatory evacuations are currently taking place for 300 people.

Cal OES Fire and Rescue and Southern Region personnel are currently responding in concert with other federal, state and local agencies to address emergency management and mutual aid needs for the incident. The recent sustained high winds have made ideal environment for dangerous fire conditions throughout the region, and the National Weather Service (NWS) has issued Red Flag Warnings for the area. The winds are currently blowing the fire WSW in the direction of the threatened homes. 

Cal OES Fire and Rescue, Law Enforcement and Southern Region personnel are currently working with other response agencies to address all emergency management, law enforcement, evacuation and mutual aid needs for the incident. 

The federal Fire Management Assistance Grant, 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.

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