FEMA Authorizes Funds to Fight Lower Sugarloaf Fire in Washington

BOTHELL, Wash. - The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) authorized the use of federal funds to help with firefighting costs for the Lower Sugarloaf Fire burning in Chelan County, Washington.

The state of Washington's request for a declaration under FEMA's Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) program was approved by FEMA Region 10 Acting Administrator Vincent J. Maykovich on Friday, September 26, 2025, at 1:54 a.m. PT. He determined that the Lower Sugarloaf Fire threatened to cause such destruction as would constitute a major disaster. This is the second FMAG declaration in 2025 to help fight Washington wildfires.

At the time of the state's request, the wildfire threatened homes in and around the communities of Cashmere and Wenatchee. The fire also threatened critical microwave and radio sites, power transmission and distribution lines, a substation and critical agricultural resources.

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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