FEMA Authorizes Funds to Fight Colorado’s Willow Fire

This afternoon, FEMA authorized the use of federal funds to help with firefighting costs for the Willow Fire burning in Lake County, Colorado about 5 miles west of Leadville.

FEMA Region 8 approved the state's request for a federal Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) after receiving the request earlier today and determining that the fire threatened such destruction that it would constitute a major disaster.

At the time of the request, the Willow Fire was threatening more than 840 homes with more than 400 people under evacuation orders. The Willow Fire started on June 28, 2026 and has burned nearly 4000 acres. The fire is 1-percent contained and is one of four major wildfires currently burning in Colorado.

The authorization makes FEMA funding available to pay 75 percent of the state's eligible firefighting costs under an approved grant for managing, mitigating and controlling designated fires. These grants do not provide assistance to individual home or business owners and do not cover other infrastructure damage caused by the fire.

Fire Management Assistance Grants are provided through the President's Disaster Relief Fund and are made available by FEMA to assist in fighting fires that threaten to cause a major disaster. Eligible items can include expenses for field camps; equipment use, repair and replacement; mobilization and demobilization activities; and tools, materials and supplies.

For more information on FMAGs, visit https://www.fema.gov/fire-management-assistance-grants-program-details.