SANTA MONICA—On Tuesday, May 19, Robert J. Fenton Junior, the Administrator for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s 9th Region, which includes Santa Monica, announced that FEMA approved a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) to help fight the Sandy Fire.
The fire started near Sandy Avenue in Simi Valley at 10:50 a.m. on May 18. The grant request was submitted to FEMA by the state of California. The fire threatened over 7, 461 properties near Simi Valley. Over 28,000 people already received mandatory evacuation orders.
Fire Management Assistance Grants are available to help fight fires that ignite and could become disasters. The grant can be used to cover “expenses for field camps, equipment uses, materials, supplies, and mobilization, and demobilization activities,” which covers 75 percent of the cost of fighting fires.
The status of the Sandy Fire can be tracked on the Cal Fire website, where evacuation information, a 3D map of the fire, and the latest news updates are available.
According to the latest update, the wildfire is 15 percent contained and has destroyed roughly 1,698 acres. It is limited to Ventura County. As of Wednesday, May 20, the Ventura County Fire Department continues working to contain the wildfire, which is under investigation.
Evacuation warnings and orders have been issued for the region affected by the wildfire, and the area is closed to the public.
By Daniel Diquinzio