FEMA Authorizes Funds to Fight Akawa Butte Fire in Oregon

BOTHELL, Wash. - The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) authorized the use of federal funds to help with firefighting costs for the Akawa Butte Fire burning in Jefferson and Deschutes counties, and directly next to the Warm Springs Indian Reservation, in Oregon.

The state of Oregon's request for a declaration under FEMA's Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) program was approved by FEMA Region 10 Acting Regional Administrator Vincent J. Maykovich on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, at 10:25 p.m. PT. He determined that the Akawa Butte Fire threatened to cause such destruction as would constitute a major disaster. This is the second FMAG declaration in 2026 to help fight Oregon wildfires.

At the time of the state's request, the wildfire threatened homes in and around the communities of Sisters, Lake Billy Chinook, Black Butte Ranch and Camp Sherman. The fire also threatened fire stations, private commercial radio stations, private cellular towers, and power transmission lines and utilities.

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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