The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced $39 million in post-disaster Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation funding for communities in Oregon and Washington on Sept. 14, supporting ongoing recovery and resilience projects in the Pacific Northwest.
Both states face recurring wildfire and flooding disasters, and the funding addresses both rebuilding from past events and hardening infrastructure against future threats, FEMA said.
The Pacific Northwest has experienced intensifying wildfire seasons and severe flooding in recent years, straining local government budgets and driving sustained demand for federal disaster assistance. Oregon and Washington communities have faced back-to-back disaster declarations in multiple recent years.
Public Assistance grants in the package reimburse state and local governments for infrastructure repair costs including roads, bridges, water systems and public facilities damaged by natural disasters. Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funds support projects designed to reduce future vulnerability, such as fire-resistant construction, flood control improvements and defensible space creation.
FEMA Region 10 is administering the awards in coordination with the Oregon Office of Emergency Management and the Washington Emergency Management Division. Local governments and eligible nonprofit organizations must meet federal documentation and performance requirements.
Wildfire seasons in both states have grown longer and more destructive, driven by drought conditions, forest health challenges and expanding development in the wildland-urban interface. Federal disaster costs in the region have increased correspondingly.
The $39 million package supports both immediate community needs and longer-term investments intended to reduce the cycle of damage and rebuilding that has characterized disaster recovery in the Pacific Northwest, according to FEMA.