Recovery

FEMA has reduced the payments that local fire departments receive for the use of their equipment when they're asked to help with wildfires outside their jurisdiction. Western states rely on this mutual aid for fire response.

Gov. Bob Ferguson has also asked President Donald Trump for $21.3 million in individual assistance for people whose homes were damaged in December's catastrophic flooding. It will cover only part of the cost to the state.

As "500 year" floods become nearly annual events, the founder of the nonprofit Disaster Accountability Project explains why staffing cuts at the federal level are so dangerous for states and local communities.

The state’s new Infrastructure Planning and Development Division has adopted cloud technology to help community governments navigate matching requirements, compliance and project delivery.

After a teenager died in a flash flood last summer, the Town Council plans to install two sirens to make sure residents know to seek shelter in the face of a flood, tornado or hurricane.

Providers in St. Louis were awarded the money through the Missouri Department of Health’s Crisis Counseling Program, which has for decades been funded by FEMA to help build hope and resiliency in disaster survivors.

When Typhoon Halong devastated Western Alaska last month, the hardest-hit communities were accessible only by air or water. That complicated response efforts and makes rebuilding a challenge.

About half of the United States’ $1.2 trillion outdoor recreation market is at risk from wildfire and flooding, but there are steps communities can take to shore up both the landscape and their economies.

The funding comes after Gov. Mike Dunleavy requested a federal disaster declaration last week, although the total cost of recovery from Typhoon Halong could greatly exceed $25 million.

St. Paul, Minn., is the latest city to join a lawsuit filed in Illinois alleging the Trump administration is placing “unlawful and unrelated conditions” on more than $100 million in public safety and disaster grants.

While the full extent of damage from Typhoon Halong is not yet clear, officials say the federal government shutdown should not affect response and recovery efforts, and the Alaska National Guard has been activated.

The 70-page report from the Los Angeles Fire Department details challenges during response to the January Palisades Fire including staffing shortages and intense winds, as well as how it is planning for future events.

State Rep. Jimmy Panetta announced Monday that he had helped secure almost $7 million of federal reimbursements meant to restore local coastal infrastructure that received a heavy beating in 2023 and 2024.

When Hurricane Helene devastated Western North Carolina in September 2024, 100 lives were lost and thousands of homes were destroyed. Here, reporters dig into where things stand with FEMA payments, housing and roads.

The new federal funds would go toward restoring homes and small businesses, supporting local government services, and rebuilding roads and bridges for the long haul.