State lands FEMA aid to reimburse firefighting efforts

AUSTIN — Gov. Greg Abbott Monday announced the Federal Emergency Management Agency approved the state’s request for fire management assistance grants for the Rest Area Fire in Gray County and the Crabapple Fire in Gillespie County.

“Texas is working around the clock to provide all necessary resources to local officials fighting wildfires in Gray and Gillespie counties,” Abbott said. “With the approval of these fire management assistance grants, we will continue to support our brave firefighters as they battle these dangerous blazes.

The approval of the grants makes Texas eligible for 75 percent reimbursement from the federal government for costs associated with fighting the Rest Area Fire and Crabapple Fire.

Fire management assistance grants are available to states and local jurisdictions for the mitigation, management and control of fires on publicly or privately owned forests or grasslands, which threaten such destruction and would constitute a major disaster.

Texans can locate wildfire resources, including wildfire tips and information on how to report damage, by visiting the Texas Disaster Portal, at: disaster.texas.gov.

Texans whose homes or businesses sustained wildfire damage are also encouraged to report it using TDEM’s online damage survey. The Individual State of Texas Assessment Tool (iSTAT) damage surveys can be filled out in multiple languages at damage.tdem. texas.gov by selecting “2025 Wildfire Incidents.”

The information shared through this voluntary tool helps emergency management teams assess the damage and aids officials in connecting impacted Texans with available resources. The iSTAT tool is not a substitute for reporting damages to your insurance provider and does not guarantee disaster relief assistance.

Texans are urged to continue taking all measures to prevent wildfires, including making an emergency plan, avoiding activities that cause sparks and following instructions from local officials.

Texans can visit Texas-Ready.gov for wildfire tips, tfsweb.tamu.edu for safety information, and tdem.texas. gov to report wildfire damages.

Among the state emergency response resources made available to support local wildfire response efforts are: Texas A&M Forest Service (Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System). Local, state and out-of-state firefighters and support personnel, fire engines, bulldozers and motor graders; federally contracted firefighting aircraft, including large air tankers, single-engine air tankers for retardant drops, air attack platforms for surveillance and spotting, super scoopers for water drops, helicopters with firefighting capability, fire bosses and an aerial supervision module for aerial guidance.

Texas Division of Emergency Management. The State of Texas Incident Management Team to support deployed emergency response resources across the state.