As Oregon continues to battle one of the most destructive wildfire seasons in its history, a bipartisan pair of state lawmakers is urging the federal government to provide consistent emergency assistance to communities affected by major fires, arguing that all Oregonians facing similar levels of devastation should receive equal consideration for disaster funding.
State Representatives Emerson Levy of Bend and Vicki Breese-Iverson of Prineville issued a joint appeal after the Federal Emergency Management Agency approved Fire Management Assistance Grants for three of Oregon’s five major wildfire incidents while denying funding requests for the Rowe Creek Complex and East Evans Creek fires.
The funding decisions come as firefighters, emergency managers and local communities across the state continue responding to multiple large wildfires that have threatened homes, forced evacuations and strained emergency resources during an exceptionally active fire season.
According to the lawmakers, the Rowe Creek Complex and East Evans Creek fires each exceeded what state officials have described as the practical benchmark of approximately 200 impacted homes that has frequently been associated with approval for federal emergency assistance. Despite meeting that level of impact, both requests were denied, prompting questions about how funding decisions are being made and whether communities across Oregon are being evaluated under consistent standards.
Levy acknowledged the federal approval for assistance to the Akawa Butte Fire but said the state’s response should not end with a single successful application.
“While I’m glad to see the Akawa Butte Fire getting the funding it needs, the relief can’t stop there,” Levy said. “The Rowe Creek Complex and East Evans Creek fires met the standard threshold of impacted households, but they were turned away. That’s not right.”
Fire Management Assistance Grants are designed to help state, local, tribal and territorial governments cover a portion of the costs associated with managing large, qualifying wildfires that threaten to become major disasters. The program can reimburse eligible expenses related to firefighting operations, including personnel, equipment, supplies and other emergency response costs. Approval of those requests can significantly reduce the financial burden on state and local governments responding to prolonged and resource-intensive wildfire incidents.
Breese-Iverson, whose district includes rural communities that regularly face wildfire threats, said the funding disparities have become a growing concern for residents outside Oregon’s larger population centers.
“I’ve lived in rural Oregon my whole life, and sadly this is exactly what we’ve come to expect from government — same disaster, same need, but not the same help,” Breese-Iverson said. “Our communities did everything right and FEMA still shut the door. I’m calling on the federal government to quit treating rural Oregon as an afterthought and get these families the assistance they’re owed.”
The lawmakers emphasized that their concerns extend beyond individual communities and instead focus on establishing a consistent approach to federal disaster assistance throughout Oregon. As wildfire seasons continue to grow longer and more destructive across the West, local governments increasingly rely on federal partnerships to help offset the rising costs of emergency response and recovery.
In a joint statement, Levy and Breese-Iverson said Oregon’s wildfire response should not depend on where a fire occurs within the state, but rather on the level of need experienced by affected communities.
“When disaster hits one part of Oregon, it hits all of us,” the lawmakers said. “Central Oregon and every community battling these fires deserve the same support, the same urgency, and the same respect from the federal government. We stand together as a state, and we’re not going to stop pushing until every community gets the funding it needs.”
The bipartisan appeal comes as Oregon continues confronting multiple significant wildfires across diverse landscapes, from forested mountain regions to rural communities and agricultural areas. Fire crews from local, state and federal agencies have remained engaged across numerous incidents, with changing weather conditions, dry vegetation and periods of strong winds contributing to challenging firefighting conditions throughout the season.
Emergency managers have repeatedly stressed that wildfire impacts extend well beyond the flames themselves. Evacuations, property damage, smoke-related health concerns, disruptions to transportation and prolonged emergency operations can affect communities for weeks or months, even after fires are brought under control.
While FEMA approved emergency assistance for three Oregon wildfire incidents, the denial of funding for the Rowe Creek Complex and East Evans Creek fires has prompted renewed discussion among state leaders regarding how federal disaster assistance applications are evaluated and whether existing criteria are being applied consistently across affected communities.
For Oregon officials, securing federal assistance remains an important component of managing increasingly costly wildfire seasons. As fire activity continues across the state, lawmakers from both parties say they intend to continue advocating for federal resources they believe are necessary to support local governments, emergency responders and residents recovering from the impacts of major wildfires.
Their message reflects a unified request that communities experiencing comparable wildfire losses receive equal consideration for federal disaster assistance, regardless of geography, ensuring that emergency funding decisions are applied consistently as Oregon continues responding to one of its most challenging wildfire seasons in recent history.