Action adds Benton, Columbia, Grant, Kittitas, and Whitman counties
OLYMPIA — Governor Bob Ferguson today amended his wildfire emergency proclamation to include five additional counties, and extend certain state protections and assistance for another 60 days.
Today’s amendment adds Benton, Columbia, Grant, Kittitas and Whitman counties, bringing the total number counties covered by the state of emergency to 12, along with three Tribal Nations.
The Governor’s amendment extends by 60 days:
- Eligibility for the State Individual Assistance Program, to assist with immediate needs such as food, temporary housing or other expenses. The Governor’s emergency proclamation makes everyone who lost their home eligible to receive this assistance, regardless of their household income or whether they have insurance.
- The Governor’s expansion of the Family Emergency Assistance Program to include families without children and allow families to access the program each month if needed.
Additionally, the amendment extends two housing protections in Governor Ferguson’s proclamation until Sept. 30. Those provisions prohibit landlords from treating wildfire displacement as abandonment, or evicting tenants because they have taken in displaced individuals and pets due to the wildfires.
“Wildfires have destroyed Washingtonians’ homes across a broad geographic area,” Governor Ferguson said. “We remain laser-focused on assisting Washingtonians who have lost so much. My emergency proclamation extends important protections and expands eligibility to ensure everyone impacted can seek the help they need.”
Governor Ferguson first declared a statewide wildfire emergency on the morning of Saturday, Aug. 1. The proclamation includes a statewide prohibition on most outdoor and agricultural burning through September 30, 2026. It also allows Washington state to access additional resources through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, a nationwide mutual aid system. Governor Ferguson amended the proclamation on August 10 to suspend state laws, protect tenants and open cash assistance to help those impacted by Washington’s devastating wildfires for eight counties and three tribes.
The emergency proclamation Governor Ferguson signed on Aug. 10 expands access to the state’s disaster cash assistance program, increases access to vital documents lost in the fires, makes it easier to get unemployment benefits, and temporarily suspends regulatory requirements for health care facilities and providers so health care remains accessible. It also eases requirements for businesses to help them remain viable beyond the disaster.
The five new counties added today join Chelan, Ferry, Okanogan, Spokane, Stevens, Douglas and Yakima counties, as well as the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation and the Spokane Tribe of Indians.
For individuals
Many Washingtonians have lost everything, including critical personal documents like their driver’s license, ID card, birth certificate, and vehicle and vessel titles. The Governor’s emergency proclamation requires that there is no charge for Washingtonians who lost their documents due to wildfires to obtain new copies of personal documents through the Department of Health and the Department of Licensing.
Here is a link to the form to request replacements for vital records lost in the fires from the Department of Health at no charge. This includes certificates for births, deaths, marriages, and divorces that took place in the state of Washington.
You can visit any driver licensing office statewide for free replacements of driver's licenses, ID cards, and other Department of Licensing records lost in the fires.
The Governor’s emergency proclamation enables the Department of Licensing to grant extra time for people to renew their business and professional licenses. This includes licenses for cosmetology, notaries, real estate, security guards, and numerous other professions. Check your professional license to see if it was issued by the Washington Department of Licensing — if so, contact DOL to see if you qualify for an extension if you miss your renewal deadline because of the wildfires.
Washington state has the State Individual Assistance Program for people who have lost their homes during a declared emergency. The Governor’s emergency proclamation makes everyone without insurance who lost their home eligible to receive this assistance, regardless of their household income.
The Governor's emergency proclamation activated $1 million in Disaster Cash Assistance to help people meet their basic needs. Information on how to apply, and more on other cash assistance programs, available here.
Washington state also has the Family Emergency Assistance Program. It provides cash assistance to families with children during a disaster. The Governor’s emergency proclamation extends this program to include families without children.
Typically, that Family Emergency Assistance Program is only available to families once per year. The Governor’s emergency proclamation allows families impacted by wildfires to access the program each month if needed.
State law requires that in order to get unemployment assistance, you must wait one week before getting benefits. The Governor’s emergency proclamation suspends the waiting period so Washingtonians out of work due to the wildfires will receive their unemployment benefits right away.
Normally, individuals receiving unemployment benefits also must prove weekly they are actively searching for a job. The Governor’s emergency proclamation suspends the job-search requirement for those affected by the wildfires.
The wildfires have caused a housing crisis for many Washingtonians. The Governor’s emergency proclamation prohibits some eviction-related actions to keep Washingtonians housed during this challenging time.
The Governor’s emergency proclamation limited the ability to serve or act on eviction orders for two weeks following his Aug. 10 proclamation, unless there was an immediate health or safety risk, or unless the tenant received a full 90 days’ notice in writing of the owner’s intent to occupy or sell the property.
Washingtonians across the state have taken in neighbors, friends and strangers during this crisis. Their generosity should not put them in danger of eviction. The Governor’s emergency proclamation prohibits landlords from evicting their tenants for hosting people and their pets who have been displaced by the wildfires. This protection is extended for an additional 60 days.
Current law allows landlords to take possession of property that’s been abandoned without an eviction notice. The Governor’s emergency proclamation prohibits landlords from utilizing this tool when a resident had to leave because of the fires. This protection is extended for an additional 60 days.
For health care
Health care providers play a critical role in providing care during an emergency, and they shouldn’t have to worry about renewing their licenses right now. The Governor’s emergency proclamation enables the Department of Health to grant extra time for health care providers to renew their licenses so they can continue providing care without worrying about having to file paperwork.
Medical assistants provide essential basic health care. Normally, they must have a supervising provider physically present at all times. The Governor’s emergency proclamation waives that requirement as long as the supervising provider is immediately available. This enables assistants to provide important health care services without delay.
Hospitals are facing staffing shortages as the local workforce is directly impacted by fires and evacuations. The Governor’s emergency proclamation waives the requirement that hospitals document and verify providers’ clinical privileges. This temporary waiver will help facilities add and retain health care providers quickly during the emergency.
Health care facilities, including hospitals, need to quickly stand up alternative care sites during emergencies. The Governor’s emergency proclamation waives state laws regarding the construction of new health care facilities in fire-impacted areas.
In an emergency, hospitals need the flexibility to provide care at alternative sites. To add flexibility, the Governor’s emergency proclamation waives the requirement that hospital licenses be only for the specific premises named in their original license application.
The Governor’s emergency proclamation waives a similar requirement for pharmacy licenses, allowing them to operate at alternative locations.
The Governor’s emergency proclamation waives the requirement that pharmacies must display their license, to further remove barriers to providing medications to Washingtonians.
The Governor’s emergency proclamation waives restrictions on admissions and capacity limitations for adult family homes and assisted living facilities, and temporarily suspends certain paperwork requirements, so that these facilities can focus on serving residents who have been displaced by the wildfires.
For businesses and state agencies:
During an emergency, essential supplies to communities and firefighters must move as quickly as possible. The Governor’s emergency proclamation suspends the rules limiting the number of hours that truck drivers can be behind the wheel, as long as they have had enough rest.
Impacted businesses should not be penalized with fees for filing taxes late. The Governor’s emergency proclamation waives those late fees for employers who can’t file or pay their second-quarter 2026 taxes on time because of the wildfires.
Rebuilding homes lost to the fires should be as streamlined as possible. The Governor’s emergency proclamation directs state agencies to submit reports in September identifying statutes, regulations or building code provisions that can be waived or suspended to streamline state regulations and permitting requirements for people who are rebuilding
Governor Ferguson and state agencies are examining additional potential actions to help with recovery and rebuilding.
Federal Actions
The Governor is working closely with the federal government to ensure quick action to help Washingtonians. Governor Ferguson appreciates the quick response from the federal government during this disaster.
The Trump Administration granted Governor Ferguson’s request for a federal emergency declaration for six counties and three Tribal nations in Easter Washington as the wildfires continue to burn.
The declaration covers Chelan, Ferry, Okanogan, Spokane, Stevens and Yakima Counties, as well as the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation and the Spokane Tribe of Indians.
It unlocks help for local governments with costs for evacuating and providing emergency shelters for those displaced by the wildfires. It also provides assistance for emergency food and water, search and rescue operations and more.
The federal emergency declaration does not provide individual assistance. That comes only after President Trump issues a major disaster declaration. The state will seek a major disaster declaration once a comprehensive survey of the damage has been completed in coordination with local governments, FEMA and the state’s Emergency Management Division. Washington’s request is expected to be due in mid-September.
In the wake of the emergency declaration, the United States Department of Health and Human Services approved Governor Ferguson’s request to declare a Public Health Emergency in response to the devastating wildfires.
The public health emergency declaration increases access to health care and critical services for those impacted by wildfires. It is speeding up refills or replacements for medication and medical supplies, reduce paperwork and authorization requirements for providers, allow for alternative care settings and temporarily relax other requirements.
On Aug. 20, Governor Ferguson also sent a letter to U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent requesting disaster tax relief for people impacted by Washington’s wildfires. In his letter, Governor Ferguson requests a one-year postponement of all applicable deadlines for affected taxpayers to file and pay their federal taxes. Postponing these deadlines will give much-needed flexibility to taxpayers whose ability to meet federal tax obligations may be disrupted by evacuations, property damage, business interruption, displacement, loss of records, restricted access, or other impacts related to the wildfires.
Ferguson working on FEMA Major Disaster Declaration
In addition to this work, Ferguson is preparing an application for a major disaster declaration, due Sept. 29. The federal emergency declaration granted by President Trump brought in federal resources to assist in the response. It did not offer assistance to individuals or municipalities to repair damage. That will come if President Trump grants a Major Disaster Declaration, which will unlock more resources, including individual assistance.
In order to get that declaration, the state must meet several requirements:
- Show the scale of the disaster is beyond our ability as a state to fully respond;
- Confirm we have taken appropriate action as a state under our emergency plans;
- Provide an estimate on the amount and severity of damage to the public and private sector;
- Describe the resources utilized to alleviate the disaster; and
- Provide preliminary estimates on the types of assistance needed.
The Washington State Emergency Management Division is already coordinating with local governments on damage assessments.
There are three types of FEMA disaster assistance, and Governor Ferguson plans to ask for all three. They are:
- Individual Assistance. This aid can help with a variety of costs individuals face following a disaster, including temporary housing, home repair, counseling and legal services.
- Public Assistance. This can be provided to state, tribal and local governments, and certain nonprofits, for emergency work to repair or replace facilities damaged by the disaster. That would include things like roads and bridges, utilities, parks and more.
- Hazard Mitigation Assistance: This aid can be provided for forward-looking projects like fire prevention.
###
|
