FEMA Authorizes Funds to Fight Sinlahekin, Fairview and Autumn Lane Fires in Washington

BOTHELL, Wash. - The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) authorized the use of federal funds to help with firefighting costs for the Sinlahekin Fire burning in Okanogan County, the Fairview Fire burning in Steven County and the Autumn Lane Fire burning in Spokane County.

The state of Washington's request for a declaration under FEMA's Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) for the Sinlahekin Fire was approved by FEMA Region 10 Acting Regional Administrator Vincent J. Maykovich on Saturday, August 1, 2026, at 8:16 p.m. PT. The state's request for the Fairview and Autumn Lane Fires were approved on Saturday, August 1, 2026, at 10:55 p.m. PT and at 11:53 p.m. PT, respectively. The Region 10 Acting Regional Administrator determined that the Sinlahekin, Fairview and Autumn Lane Fires threatened to cause such destruction as would constitute a major disaster. These are the seventh, eighth and ninth FMAG declarations in 2026 to help fight Washington wildfires.

At the time of the state's request, the fires threatened homes in and around the community of Tonasket, Loomis, Mead and Suncrest. The Sinlahekin Fire also threatened state-owned dams, a wastewater treatment plant, raw water reservoirs, finished water systems and microwave sites, as well as the Washington State University radio infrastructure and the Tonasket Police Department headquarters. The fire also damaged the major power transmission line that supplies power to approximately half of Okanagon County. The Fairview Fire threatened private utilities, the Bonneville Power Administration power lines, railway and farms. Additionally, the Autumn Lane Fire threatened utilities, state and local parks, schools, a ranger station, fire district buildings, county microwave transmitters, a bridge, water district structures, grocery stores and family care centers.

FMAGs make funding available to pay up to 75 percent of a state's eligible firefighting costs for fires that threaten to become major disasters. Eligible items can include expenses for field camps, equipment use, materials, supplies and mobilization and demobilization activities attributed to fighting the fire. These grants do not provide assistance to individual home or business owners and do not cover other infrastructure damage caused by the fire. 

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