WASHINGTON — Washington Gov. Jay Inslee has formally requested federal aid and a major disaster declaration to help people recover from deadly wildfire destruction in August in the eastern part of the state.
The Democratic governor said in a news release Wednesday that he sent a letter to President Joe Biden asking him to make financial help available for people affected by the Gray fire and Oregon Road fire through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s individual assistance program.
“This disaster has destroyed more primary homes than any other wildfire in Washington state history,” Inslee wrote in his 44-page letter. “The scale of destruction is immense and has exhausted all local and state resources to adequately support the response and recovery to this major disaster."
