Letter to the Hon. Donald Trump, President of the United States, and the Hon. Peter Gaynor, FEMA Administrator - Washington State Lawmakers Continue to Seek Major Disaster Declaration after Devastating Wildfires

Letter

Dear Mr. President and Administrator Gaynor:

We write to inquire about Governor Jay Inslee's September 16, 2020, and October 8, 2020
request for a Major Disaster Declaration for the State of Washington and supplemental federal
assistance.
As you know, Washington state grappled with a wildfire season of historic scope and intensity
this year. In the five day period from September 7th to the 11th, an estimated 626,982 acres
burned throughout the state. That area alone exceeded each of the total burned acreages in each
of the fire seasons between 2002 and 2019, with the exception of 2015's devastating wildfire
season. These wildfires forced the evacuations of thousands of people, threatened 3,000 homes
and structures, and deteriorated air quality to hazardous levels at that time.
In particular, the town of Malden, a small, rural community in Whitman County, saw most of
their community reduced to ashes. An estimated 80 percent of homes and other structures in the
town including the town's only post office, town hall, fire station, food bank, and library were
destroyed or seriously damaged. Individual and Public Assistance for this town would provide
critical support, particularly for eligible individuals who evacuated and are unable to return to
their community. Thankfully, nobody died in Malden. But most of its 300-some residents were
uninsured and already living on the economic margins. According to state records, Malden has
met the threshold for Small Business Administration (SBA) assistance but none can be provided
until the Governor's requests are approved.
Now, 83 days have passed since the Governor requested federal assistance. For 83 days,
thousands of displaced Washingtonians have watched as FEMA trailers assist those in
neighboring states but have seen no federal aid coming their way. For 83 days, the state of
Washington continues to be overwhelmed as it copes with clean-up and rebuilding efforts on top
of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. 83 days is too long to sit in limbo after experiencing such a
damaging wildfire season.
Again, we fully support Governor Inslee's request for a major disaster declaration statewide as
well as Public Assistance and Individual Assistance for eligible counties. Please let us know if
you need further information to inform your decision.

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