Gov. Greg Abbott announced Wednesday, May 20 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 destroyed 52 homes and damaged several others, impacting a total of 77 homes.
The fire originally began Sunday, May 17, at the Amarillo city landfill where it was contained that day. However, it breached a containment line during strong winds the next day, Monday, May 18 to become the Stinky Fire, which ravaged Bishop Estates and other developments in the area.
“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 May 21 at 9:10 a.m., the Stinky Fire had burned an estimated 2,335 acres and was 95% contained.
The fire prompted the evacuation of approximately 540 homes in the surrounding area. State and local response personnel were actively engaged in suppression, containment, and public safety operations over the course of several days.
The grant approval makes the State of Texas eligible for 75% 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.
The Canyon Fire Department said that a FMAG was also granted in relation to the Hunggate Fire, which burned more than 34,000 acres in Randall County last week.
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.
This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: FEMA grant to help first responders in Potter County wildfire efforts
Reporting by Nell Williams, Amarillo Globe-News / Amarillo Globe-News
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