Texas governor, FEMA jab over fire relief

By Nolan Hicks
The Houston Chronicle

AUSTIN, Texas — In the week since the federal government denied Gov. Rick Perry's request to have most of Texas granted major disaster status, Republicans have knocked FEMA's decision, leaving the impression Washington is not assisting the fight against the massive wildfires plaguing rural counties.

It is an impression contradicted by officials at Federal Emergency Management Agency, who awarded Texas its 26th grant Sunday to help cover the cost of firefighting efforts.

"This administration, through FEMA, has been working closely with the state throughout the duration of these fires, and we are supporting the firefighting efforts," FEMA spokeswoman Rachel Racusen said.

Those 26 grants will reimburse 75 percent of the cost related to fighting designated fires throughout the state.

It is the same reimbursement rate the state would have received if Perry's request for major disaster status had been accepted.

"I am dismayed that this administration has denied Texans the much needed assistance they deserve," Perry said in a statement after FEMA denied his request.

State's request Granting a major disaster declaration allows the federal government to help pay for the costs of reconstruction and direct aid to victims of the fires.

Perry only requested 'Category B' funding, which provides reimbursement for the same activities as the fire management grants the state currently is receiving.

Perry's office said that the wildfires were so bad that major disasters should be declared in 252 of Texas' 254 counties; including Harris, Bexar, Dallas, Tarrant and Travis counties.

Perry also wrote that the "severity and magnitude" of the fires was so great that FEMA should direct other federal agencies to step in and help run the firefighting effort in those counties.

Insufficient help Perry spokeswoman Lucy Nashed said the aid promised by FEMA was insufficient because it only covered the 26 major fires, not the 9,000 fires the state's application cited in applying for the aid.

She said that Texas had used a nationally accepted definition to determine that the state should receive a disaster declaration that would cover the 9,000 fires.

Nashed described the definition as "an unplanned, unwanted, wildland fire; and, basically, a wildland fire is any fire on land."

That definition includes no standard for the size or intensity of the fire, but the standards for receiving a federal grants do.

To qualify for federal fire assistance, a state must be demonstrate that it has a need, such as a threat to lives, homes, government facilities and economic impact.

The fires covered by the grants for federal reimbursement constitute the list of major fires the state has been combating in recent months, said Kelly King, a spokesman for the Texas Forest Service.

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