HELENA, Mont. – Governor Greg Gianforte Monday announced the State of Montana secured a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to assist with costs associated with fighting the Sand Creek Fire in Beaverhead County.
The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC), along with Montana Disaster and Emergency Services (MT DES), submitted the request for firefighting assistance to FEMA.
A FMAG makes FEMA funding available to pay 75 percent of the state’s eligible firefighting costs.
The Sand Creek Fire, which started Aug. 1, has burned over 31,000 acres and was one percent contained as of Monday morning. Firefighters are continuing to prioritize structure protection and have prevented structure loss, with the only confirmed impact being to the Maverick Mountain upper lift shack and the Maverick Mountain U.S. Forest Service repeater. Emergency evacuation orders are in place for all communities north of Clark Creek and Shale Creek, including Elkhorn Hot Springs and Maverick Mountain.
