By Joseph O’Sullivan
The Seattle Times
SPOKANE, Wash. — The Federal Emergency Management Agency has authorized using federal funds to assist with firefighting costs for three Washington state wildfires.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has authorized using federal funds to assist with firefighting costs. The funds will help pay for fighting the Fairview and Autumn Lane fires in Spokane County, as well as the Sinlahekin fire in Okanogan County, the agency announced Sunday.
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All three requests by the state were approved Saturday by FEMA Region 10 Acting Regional Administrator Vincent J. Maykovich, according to a news release from the agency.
The Region 10 Acting Regional Administrator determined that the Sinlahekin, Fairview and Autumn Lane Fires threatened to cause such destruction as would constitute a major disaster,” according to the release. “These are the seventh, eighth and ninth FMAG declarations in 2026 to help fight Washington wildfires.”
Taken together, the fires have threatened homes in and around Tonasket, Loomis, Mead and Suncrest, according to the release.
The Sinlahekin fire, which has burned 74,000 acres according to sources reported by Watch Duty, has “threatened state-owned dams, a wastewater treatment plant, raw water reservoirs, finished water systems, and microwave sites, as well as the Washington State University radio infrastructure and the Tonasket Police Department headquarters.”
That fire also damaged a major power transmission line supplying power to about half of Okanogan County.
Meanwhile, the Fairview fire, northeast of the Old Trails fire, has destroyed roughly 700 structures and “threatened private utilities, the Bonneville Power Administration power lines, railway, and farms, according to FEMA.
The Autumn Lane fire, burning north of the Old Trails fire, threatened local and state parks, utilities, schools, fire district buildings and a ranger station, among other structures.
The FEMA funding can pay up to 75% of a state’s firefighting costs for fires threatening to escalate into major disasters.
The monies can be used for expenses such as field camps, supplies and equipment use, and mobilization and demobilization activities attributed to firefighting.
The grants don’t give assistance for infrastructure damage or for individual homes and businesses affected by the fire, according to the release.
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