Governor Ferguson Focuses on Rebuilding after Wildfires, Contacts President

Gov. Bob Ferguson announced on Sept. 28 that he sent a letter to President Donald Trump formally requesting a federal Major Disaster Declaration following the wildfires in eastern Washington. Ferguson also announced additional state-level actions aimed at helping communities rebuild, including suspending additional regulations and legislation that supports sales tax relief on costs related to home rebuilding.

In late July and early August, multiple wildfires occurred through east- ern Washington. Their severity broke records, according to the governor’s office, and destroyed hundreds of homes, forced mass evacuations from homes and hospitals, caused widespread power outages, disrupted essential services, and caused longterm damage to ranching and agricultural businesses in rural communities. Ferguson said the damage left in the fires’ wakes continues to overwhelm state, local, Tribal, nonprofit, and private-sector capabilities.

A preliminary damage assessment conducted by the Washington State Emergency Management Division, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and local jurisdictions across four counties, including Spokane and Stevens, ascertained the fires: destroyed 649 primary residences, damaged an additional 2,542 homes, and burned nearly 369,000 acres.

Most of the destroyed homes were in Spokane County. According to the assessment, 615 primary residences were destroyed and four sustained major damage. More than 65,000 people were evacuated as the three fires burned more than 9,900 acres. Essential services and critical infrastructure were disrupted, including court operations, municipal services, power, communications, and water systems. Hundreds of residents faced boil-water advisories, and at least 13 homes were flooded with sewage following a water system failure.

In Stevens County, more than 19,000 acres burned across three major fires, with extensive impacts to private, Tribal, and state lands. Fourteen primary residences were destroyed. Repeated evacuations disrupted communities, including areas around Gifford, Hunters, and the Spokane Tribe of Indians reservation.

“These fast-moving wildfires devastated communities around our state and overwhelmed state and local response capabilities,” Ferguson said. “While the impact in monetary terms is significant, the damage goes far beyond the numbers. Whole neigh- borhoods are gone, and communities have been changed forever. Feder- al financial assistance is critical to help these communities recover and rebuild. My team and I are laser-fo- cused on helping people recover from this disaster.”

As part of his request for a Major Disaster Declaration, Ferguson stated that he requested FEMA to open Individual Assistance funds for survivors in the affected counties including Spokane and Stevens counties. If granted, Washingtonians could qualify for an estimated $11.2 million in funds to help with their emergency costs.

Ferguson said he is also requesting two types of FEMA Public Assistance funds to assist with debris cleanup and recover costs from the emergency response, such as deploying hundreds of generators and conducting door-todoor evacuations. These funds would support recovery in 11 counties. If granted, Washington could qualifyor an estimated $117.7 million. Ferguson said he plans to request additional types of FEMA Public Assis- tance, such as support for rebuilding of damaged roads and infrastructure, later this month.

Local county leaders voiced their support of Ferguson’s request. “The Board of County Commissioners stands united with the governor in his request for a Major Disaster Declaration by the President and FEMA,” said Spokane County Commission Chair Mary Brooks. “This declaration is critical as Spokane County starts its long-term recovery following the destructive Spokane Complex Fires.”

Stevens County stands in support of the Governor’s request for a federal Major Disaster Declaration, recognizing that while the 2026 wildfires may appear manageable from afar, their cumulative impacts place a significant strain on rural counties like ours, where limited financial capacity makes balancing immediate recovery needs and long‑term stability a critical tipping point,” the Stevens County Commissioners wrote.

Ferguson elaborated that his request asks FEMA to approve the maximum funding available for its Individual Assistance program. The program provides a maximum of $42,500 per individual. If FEMA approves Indi- vidual Assistance as part of the ma- jor disaster declaration, the next step for residents is to apply directly with FEMA, the governor said. According to FEMA’s website, FEMA Individual Assistance is intended to support individuals with limited means to help repair their homes or find stable housing until a more permanent solution is available. Individual Assistance is not intended to fully fund individual recovery. More information can be found at fema.gov/assistance/ individual.

The State Fire Marshal’s Office (SFMO) also announced on Sept. 28 that the SFMO All-Risk Mobiliza- tion Program has been authorized to support wildfire incidents. The AllRisk Mobilization Program is part of Washington State’s emergency response framework and aims to provide assistance to local fire jurisdictions when an incident exceeds local response capabilities.

Once a mobilization is authorized, the program processes reimbursement of eligible costs incurred by responding agencies for resources assigned to the incident, according to SFMO of- ficials. So far this year, the marshal’s office said these eligible costs have accumulated to an estimated $41 million, which is funded through the Washington State Disaster Response Account. The mobilization program has been authorized to support 46 wildfire incidents, including the Bradeen Hill Fire in Stevens County and the Autumn Lane Fire in Spokane and Stevens counties. For more information, contact the State Fire Marshal’s Office at 360-596-3904.