As firefighters battle the Hawthorne Fie for a fifth day, Gov. Ned Lamont said the Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved his request for a Fire Management Assistance Grant.
Lamont said the grant will support the state and municipalities in their emergency response to the Hawthorne Fire in Berlin.
This is the first time Connecticut has ever been approved for a grant under FEMA’s Fire Management Assistance Grant program according to the governor’s office.
The initial estimates indicate that the state’s costs will exceed the grant program’s necessary $330,000 threshold, the governor’s office said.
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Through the program, FEMA will provide a 75% reimbursement of the eligible costs of its emergency response to this fire.
This is one of the most significant brush fires Connecticut has experienced in recent memory, which is largely due to the very dry conditions and lack of rain we have experienced in recent weeks.
Gov. Ned Lamont
The governor’s office said some of the state’s more significant costs include utilizing aircrew from the Connecticut National Guard and its UH-60 Blackhawk and CH-47 Chinook helicopters to drop water at the site.
“This is one of the most significant brush fires Connecticut has experienced in recent memory, which is largely due to the very dry conditions and lack of rain we have experienced in recent weeks,” Lamont said in a statement.
“I thank FEMA and the Biden-Harris administration for their rapid response to my request and their continuing partnership with Connecticut to ensure that we can support the resources we need to keep this area safe. I’m also grateful to the many firefighters from departments throughout the region, the aircrew from the Connecticut National Guard, and other first responders who have been working tirelessly day and night on this emergency situation,” the governor added.
