Fire Management Assistance Grants

The Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) Program is available to states, local and tribal governments, for the mitigation, management, and control of fires on publicly or privately owned forests or grasslands, which threaten such destruction as would constitute a major disaster.

Declaration Process 

The Fire Management Assistance declaration process is initiated when a state submits a request for assistance to the FEMA Regional Director at the time a "threat of major disaster" exists. The entire process is accomplished on an expedited basis and a FEMA decision is rendered in a matter of hours. 

Before a grant can be awarded, a state must demonstrate that total eligible costs for the declared fire meet or exceed either the individual fire cost threshold -- which is applied to single fires, or the cumulative fire cost threshold, which recognizes numerous smaller fires burning throughout a state.

Eligible Types of Work 

Eligible firefighting costs may include expenses for: 

• Field camps
• Repair and replacement tools
• Mobilization and demobilization activities
• Equipment use
• Materials and supplies

Work Eligibility (Categories B, H and Z)

All eligible work and related costs must be associated with the IP of a declared fire. FMAG Program-eligible work directly related to the declared fire is documented into three general categories:All eligible work and associated costs must be related to the property of a declared fire. FMAG Program-eligible work that is directly related to the declared fire is categorized into three general categories:

Category B - Emergency Protective Measures

Category H - Fire-fighting Activities

Category Z - Administrative Cost

Post-Fire Hazard Mitigation Grants (HMGP Post Fire) 

HMGP Post Fire is administratively separate from the FMAG Program and the regulations and policies that govern these programs are distinct.

Fire Management Assistance Options for Tribal Nations 

Tribal Nations with eligible costs can access Fire Management Assistance funding from FEMA through one of three ways:

1. The Tribal Nation Requests a Disaster Declaration from FEMA: Tribal Nations cannot request their own FMAG directly from FEMA. However, Tribal Nations can request their own emergency disaster declaration or major disaster declaration directly from FEMA to help manage and control fires.
2. The Tribal Nation becomes a direct recipient through an existing state FMAG: A Tribal Nation whose lands or property are included in a state FMAG request, can use a state’s FMAG number to work directly with FEMA to manage the assistance. The state will not be involved in management of the FMAG on the Tribal Nation’s behalf. The Tribal Nation may coordinate with their FEMA Tribal Liaison to discuss their options under a FMAG or tribal disaster declaration.
3. The Tribal Nation becomes a subrecipient under an existing state FMAG: Tribal Nations can work with their state’s emergency management offices to be included in the state’s FMAG request and become a subrecipient of the state.