FEMA Authorizes Funds to Fight South Dakota’s Qury Fire

DENVER - This afternoon, FEMA authorized the use of federal funds to help with firefighting costs for the Qury Fire burning in Custer, South Dakota.

FEMA Region 8 Acting Regional Administrator Katherine Fox approved the state's request for a federal Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG), determining that the fire threatened such destruction that it could constitute a major disaster.

At the time of the request, the Qury Fire was threatening more than 100 homes in the vicinity of Custer. The fire is also threatening roads and bridges, utilities, radio and cellphone towers, environmental resources and economic injury. Mandatory evacuations are in place for more than 100 people. A shelter has been opened in Custer.

The fire started on March 12, 2026, later merged with the nearby Deer Fire, and has burned more than 5,371 acres. It is zero percent contained.

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.