Sand Creek Fire Secures FEMA Grant, 31K Acres

FEMA has approved Fire Management Assistance Grants to help cover firefighting costs for the Sand Creek Fire in Beaverhead County, Montana, enabling funding for up to 75% of eligible expenses as the blaze grows to about 31,652 acres with only 1% containment and evacuation orders in place around Elkhorn Hot Springs and Maverick Mountain. Governor Greg Gianforte said Montana remains in close contact with the U.S. Forest Service as crews work to protect communities during the fire season. Crews are contending with a “dirty burn” near Maverick Mountain, complicating mop-up and containment and raising concerns about the nearby Bobcat Fire potentially merging. The grant was authorized by FEMA Region 8 to assist with firefighting costs for a designated fire threatening homes and infrastructure, underscoring the scale of federal support during peak wildfire activity. Separately, FEMA approved a Fire Management Assistance Grant in Oregon for the Fielder Mountain Fire in Jackson and Josephine counties, with funding authorized on Aug. 13, highlighting coordinated federal help as fires burn across multiple states. These federal grants reflect ongoing efforts to shield hundreds of homes and critical infrastructure from rapid wildfire growth as responders battle multiple blazes in the region.