Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has joined a coalition of 14 attorneys general in petitioning the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to update its regulations to recognize extreme heat and wildfire smoke events as eligible for major disaster declarations under the Stafford Act. The petition also seeks to clarify that wildfire smoke events are eligible for Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) funding.
In their letter addressed to FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell and Chief Counsel Adrian Sevier, the attorneys general highlighted the increasing frequency and severity of extreme heat and wildfire smoke events due in part to climate change. The letter explains that such events pose significant public health risks and financial burdens on local communities, which may require federal assistance to effectively respond to these disasters.
“While Michigan hasn’t faced the devastating megafires plaguing other regions, we are not immune from the danger of wildfire activity, and when these disasters strike federal assistance should be available to the states,” Nessel said. “Just last year, two major fires in Crawford and Iosco counties scorched thousands of acres that threatened communities and ecosystems. Smoke from Canadian wildfires has blanketed our skies and jeopardized the health of Michiganders. As extreme heat and wildfire smoke become more prevalent due to our changing climate, the risk to public health and financial burdens on our communities will only intensify. To combat these growing challenges, federal assistance is essential.”
The letter detailed the significant impacts of recent extreme heat and wildfire smoke events, citing examples such as the 2021 Pacific Northwest Heat Dome, which resulted in hundreds of deaths and widespread power outages, and the Canadian wildfires that blanketed parts of the Midwest and East Coast, including Michigan, in smoke. The attorneys general underscored the importance of proactive measures and federal support in mitigating the effects of these disasters.
The letter explains the urgent need for FEMA to amend its definition of “major disaster” to explicitly include extreme heat and wildfire smoke events. It also emphasizes the critical role of FMAG funding in addressing the health impacts of wildfire smoke, such as providing HEPA air filtration devices and other necessary supplies to vulnerable populations. Additionally, it highlights projections indicating an increase in both frequency and severity of these events, stressing a necessity for a more robust adaptive federal response.
In sending this letter, AG Nessel joined her counterparts from Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Illinois, Maryland Massachusetts New Jersey New Mexico New York Oregon Vermont