Governor Greg Abbott today announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has approved a request from the State of Texas for a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) for the Stinky Fire in Potter County, which has threatened homes, damaged property, impacted infrastructure, and prompted local evacuations in the Texas Panhandle.
"Texas has secured federal resources to further guard against wildfire threats in the Panhandle," said Governor Abbott. "With this grant approval, Texas has additional tools to help Texans remain safe from wildfire danger. I thank the Trump Administration for providing these resources, and for the brave firefighters on the ground protecting Texans."
As of this morning, the Stinky Fire has burned more than an estimated 2,500 acres and is 20 percent contained. The fire prompted the evacuation of approximately 540 homes in the surrounding area. State and local response personnel are actively engaged in suppression, containment, and public safety operations.
The approval of a Fire Management Assistance Grant makes the State of Texas eligible for 75 percent reimbursement from the federal government for eligible costs associated with wildfire suppression. These grants are available to states and local jurisdictions to support the mitigation, management, and control of fires that threaten to become major disasters.
At the Governor's direction, state wildfire response resources remain deployed by the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) to support local wildfire response efforts across the state. TDEM and the Texas Emergency Management Council agencies continue to monitor increased wildfire conditions across areas of West and Northwest Texas.
Texans can find wildfire resources including safety tips, current fire information, and damage reporting tools in the TDEM Disaster Portal online at disaster.texas.gov.
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