Biden approves federal disaster relief for Washington towns destroyed by wildfires
MALDEN, Wash. - Five months after a wildfire destroyed the adjacent towns of Malden and Pine City, President Joe Biden has approved federal aid for the towns and for other areas in Eastern Washington burned by fires last year.
Former President Donald Trump had declined to release the funds earlier because of a long-standing dispute with Washington Gov. Jay Inslee.
A fast-moving wildfire destroyed 80% of Malden. Wash. on Monday, according to officials. (Whitman County Sheriff's Office)
More than 85% of the buildings in Malden and Pine City, both located in rural Whitman County, burned to the ground in the Babb Road Fire. Residents have not been able to clean up or rebuild since the wildfire that began last Labor Day.
Democratic Senators Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray, along with Republican Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers, were among those who urged Biden to sign Inslee’s September request for a statewide Major Disaster Declaration.
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Biden granted the request on Thursday, triggering the release of funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to provide disaster relief for nine counties and two tribes in Eastern Washington that were affected by the wildfires.
Cantwell released a statement Thursday saying that no one should play politics with disaster relief.
"Now it is time to help Malden rebuild with this disaster declaration, which makes FEMA resources available to communities to help rebuild things like roads, bridges, and power lines."
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"I will never forget the devastation I saw first-hand in communities like Malden and Pine City – nor how frustrating it was to see federal aid withheld for so many months," said Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz. "While these communities are in the beginning phases of recovery, this long overdue support is a crucial step toward helping residents rebuild their lives and livelihoods. I applaud the Biden administration for this action and the governor for his advocacy on behalf of those who were impacted."
Franz is once again asking the state to fully fund efforts to prevent and fight wildfires. House Bill 1168, which is being proposed during this legislative session, would create dedicated funding for wildfire response, forest health and community resilience.
"While this relief is welcome news, it is also a reminder we need to do more to address our wildfire crisis," Franz said. "I urge the state Legislature to fully fund the wildfire response, forest restoration and community resilience work needed to fight, prevent, and recover from wildfires across our state."
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Back in December, Scott Hokonson, a Malden town council member who lost his home in the fire, said many Malden and Pine City residents were already struggling financially and did not have insurance.
"We’re waiting for FEMA, we’re waiting for the president, we’re waiting for something to happen,″ he said.
A fast-moving wildfire destroyed 80% of Malden. Wash. on Monday, according to officials. (Whitman County Sheriff's Office)
Gerry Bozarth, a Spokane County emergency management specialist on loan to Whitman County to work on Malden disaster relief, said he has been through the process of getting a FEMA disaster designation three times before and knows how fluid the timeline can be. He called this "an incredible delay."
Trump declared fires in Oregon a major disaster on Sept. 15 and in California a month later, but Inslee’s Sept. 16 request had gone unanswered.
The town of Malden, Wash., lost its fire station, post office, city hall, library, and most of its homes as well as "other prominent buildings." (Whitman County Sheriff's Office)