Oregon Receives Approval of Federal Disaster Declaration for Wildfires

Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, along with U.S. Representatives Peter DeFazio, Earl Blumenauer, Greg Walden, Kurt Schrader, and Suzanne Bonamici, today announced that the White House has approved the state of Oregon's request for an emergency declaration in response to unprecedented and dangerous wildfires that are blanketing the state. The Senators and Representatives had pushed on Wednesday for the declaration to be granted, immediately following Governor Kate Brown's request.

The federal declaration will help provide immediate assistance across Oregon from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

"Families across Oregon are facing horrific and potentially life-changing circumstances as these fires sweep through our state," said Merkley, who will be traveling around the state to view on-the-ground damage and fire response efforts and talk with first responders and displaced Oregonians today and tomorrow. "As this emergency continues, it's critical that the federal government do everything in its power to help, and I'm continuing to fight for the resources we need. This declaration will help free up critical emergency assistance, but there will be plenty more we need to do.