FEMA has authorized federal funds to reimburse costs to Florida to fight the Adkins Avenue Fire in Bay County. On March 4, the state of Florida submitted a request for a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) for the Adkins Avenue Fire.
At the time of the request, the fire threatened more than 1,000 homes in and around Bay County. The Adkins Avenue blaze started March 4 and has burned more than 1,400 acres of state and private land. Approximately 2,500 people have evacuated.
Federal funding
FEMA Region 4 Administrator Gracia B. Szczech approved the state’s request on March 4, as the fire threatened to become a major disaster. FMAGs provide federal funding for up to 75 percent of eligible firefighting costs.
The Disaster Relief Fund provides allowances for FMAGs through FEMA to assist in fighting fires that threaten to cause major disasters. Eligible costs covered by FMAGs can include expenses for field camps, equipment use, materials, supplies and mobilization, and demobilization activities attributed to fighting the fire.
