FEMA approves FMAG to help fight southern California fire

Strong winds have fueled a significant blaze in the coastal Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles. At least 30,000 residents have been forced to evacuate.

On Tuesday it was announced that in addition to prepositioning dozens of firefighting engines and personnel in advance of the fire threat, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) approved a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) to help ensure the availability of vital resources to suppress the fire.

The FMAG, which is provided through the President’s Disaster Relief Fund on a cost-share basis, will assist local, state, and tribal agencies responding to the fire to apply for 75% reimbursement of their eligible fire suppression costs.

On Sunday, the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services approved the prepositioning of 65 fire engines, as well as more than 120 additional firefighting resources and personnel in Los Angeles, Orange, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego counties, while CAL FIRE moved firefighting resources to southern California, including 45 additional engines and six hand crews to the seven affected counties.

However, with destructive winds still impacting the region, all firefighting aircraft were ordered to be grounded on Tuesday evening due to the dangerous conditions.

The Palisades fire ignited at 10:30am on Tuesday in Pacific Palisades near the Topanga Canyon. The blaze grew from 10 acres to more than 2,900 acres in mere hours across the Palisades area.

Californians are urged to remain vigilant and follow the instructions of local authorities during the critical fire weather conditions expected in many areas of Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Orange, Riverside, and San Diego counties through to Thursday.

As wildland fires become more frequent and more dangerous across California, Barry D Smith spoke to fire and forestry services about their approach.