Fire Management Assistance

Grant Program Guide

U. S. DEPARTMENT

OF

HOMELAND SECURITY

FEMA

FEMA P-954 / February 2014
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACRONYMS.............................................................................................................iii

DEFINITIONS..........................................................................................................iv

FOREWORD........................................................................................................... vii

CHAPTER ONE – OVERVIEW ............................................................................................... 8

Governing Documents ............................................................................................. 8

Federal Statutes. .......................................................................................... 8

Regulations.................................................................................................. 8

Policies. ....................................................................................................... 9

CHAPTER TWO – DECLARATION PROCESS .........................................................................10

Submitting a Declaration Request ............................................................................10

Declaration Request Processing ...............................................................................10

Declaration Criteria ......................................................................................10

Information for the Declaration Request...................................................................11

Required Information...................................................................................11

Fire Complex...............................................................................................11

Incident Period............................................................................................11

Duties, Roles, and Responsibilities ...........................................................................12

State Role...................................................................................................12

FEMA Regional Office Role............................................................................12

Principal Advisor’s Role.................................................................................13

Headquarters Office Role. ............................................................................13

Appeal of Denied Declaration Request...........................................................13

Post-Declaration Requirements ................................................................................14

FEMA-State Agreement ................................................................................14

Inclusion of Affected Counties ......................................................................16

Modifying a Declaration Request to Add Counties ...........................................16

Rollup.........................................................................................................16

CHAPTER THREE – ELIGIBILITY.........................................................................................17

Grant and Subgrant Applicants ................................................................................17

Eligible Applicants........................................................................................17

Ineligible Applicants.....................................................................................17

Eligible Costs Overview...........................................................................................17

Equipment and Supplies, Generally ...............................................................18

Labor Costs.................................................................................................18

Travel and Per Diem ....................................................................................19

Pre-Positioning Costs ...................................................................................19

Emergency Work/Essential Assistance ...........................................................20

Temporary Repairs ......................................................................................20

Mobilization and Demobilization ....................................................................21

Donated Resources ................................................................................................21

Ineligible Costs ......................................................................................................21
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CHAPTER FOUR – MUTUAL AID..........................................................................................23

Mutual Aid Agreements...........................................................................................23

Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) ...............................................23

CHAPTER FIVE – GRANT MANAGEMENT .............................................................................24

Grant Application File..............................................................................................24

Initial Grant Application and Approval Timeframe ...........................................24

Fire Cost Threshold......................................................................................25

State Administrative Plan..............................................................................25

State Mitigation Plan....................................................................................26

Grantee Responsibilities ..........................................................................................26

Subgrants..............................................................................................................27

Eligible Subgrant Entities..............................................................................27

Project Worksheets (PWs).......................................................................................27

Procurement Policies ..............................................................................................27

Cost Share.............................................................................................................28

Duplication of Benefits .................................................................................28

Negligence and Intentional Acts....................................................................28

Administrative Costs ....................................................................................29

Grantee ......................................................................................................29

Subgrantee .................................................................................................30

Appeals of Grant Eligibility.......................................................................................30

Grant Closeouts......................................................................................................31

Audit Requirements and Documentation...................................................................31

CHAPTER SIX – SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION................................................................33

Forms ...................................................................................................................33

Alphabetical Order by Form Name.................................................................33

Ascending Order by Form Number ................................................................33

Forms Available only as PDF .........................................................................34

Subpart and Section References, 44 CFR Part 204.....................................................34

Subpart A—General .....................................................................................34

Subpart B—Declaration Process ....................................................................34

Subpart C—Eligibility....................................................................................34

Subpart D—Application Procedures ...............................................................34

Subpart E—Grant Administration...................................................................34

9500 Series Policy Publications ................................................................................35

44 CFR Part 204.....................................................................................................35
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ACRONYMS

CFFDRS Canadian Forest Fire Danger Rating System

CFR Code of Federal Regulations

EMAC Emergency Management Assistance Compact

FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency

FF FEMA Form

FMAGP Fire Management Assistance Grant Program

GAR Governor’s Authorized Representative

ICS Incident Command System

KBDI Keetch-Byram Drought Index

NFDRS National Fire Danger Rating System

NIC NIMS Integration Center

NIMS National Incident Management System

OMB Office of Management and Budget

PL Public Law

PW Project Worksheet

RFMAS Request for Fire Management Assistance Subgrant

SMP State Mitigation Plan

USFS U.S. Forest Service
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DEFINITIONS

Affected County. One or more county(ies) or tribal area(s) where a declared fire or fire 

complex originated or burned into.

Applicant. A State or Indian tribal government submitting an application to for a fire 

management assistance grant, or a State, local, or Indian tribal government submitting an 

application to the Grantee for a subgrant under an approved fire management assistance grant.

Chief Executive. The person who is the Chief, Chair, Chairman, Chairwoman, Governor, 

President, or similar executive official of an Indian tribal government.

Declared Fire. An uncontrolled fire or fire complex, threatening such destruction as would 

constitute a major disaster, which the Administrator has approved in response to a State's 

request for a fire management assistance declaration and in accordance with the criteria listed 

in 44 CFR part 204.21.

Demobilization. The process and procedures for deactivating, disassembling, and transporting 

back to their point of origin all resources that had been provided to respond to and support a 

declared fire.

Fire Complex. Two or more individual fires located in the same general area, which are 

assigned to a single Incident Commander.

Governor's Authorized Representative (GAR). The person empowered by the Governor to 

execute, on behalf of the State, all necessary documents for fire management assistance, 

including the request for a fire management assistance declaration.

Grant. An award of financial assistance, including cooperative agreements, by FEMA to an 

eligible Grantee. The grant award will be based on the projected amount of total eligible costs 

for which a State submits an application and that FEMA approves related to a declared fire.

Grantee. The Grantee is the government to which a grant is awarded which is accountable for 

the use of the funds provided. The Grantee is the entire legal entity even if only a particular 

component of the entity is designated in the grant award document. Generally, the State, as 

designated in the FEMA-State Agreement for the Fire Management Assistance Grant Program, is 

the Grantee. However, after a declaration, an Indian tribal government may choose to be a 

Grantee, or it may act as a subgrantee under the State. An Indian tribal government acting as 

Grantee will assume the responsibilities of a “state”, as described in this Part, for the purpose of 

administering the grant.

Hazard Mitigation Plan. A plan to develop actions the State, local, or Indian tribal 

government will take to reduce the risk to people and property from all hazards. The intent of 

hazard mitigation planning under the Fire Management Assistance Grant Program is to identify 

wildfire hazards and cost-effective mitigation alternatives that produce long-term benefits. We 

address mitigation of fire hazards as part of the State's comprehensive Mitigation Plan, 

described in 44 CFR part 201.

Incident Commander. The ranking official responsible for overseeing the management of 

fire operations, planning, logistics, and finances of the field response. [The ranking “red card” 

official responsible for a declared fire. (“Red card” is the fire qualifications card issued to fire-
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rated persons showing their training needs and their qualifications to fill specified fire -

suppression and support positions on a fire or other incident.)]

Incident Period. The time interval during which the declared fire occurs. The Regional 

Administrator, in consultation with the GAR and the Principal Advisor, will establish the incident 

period. Generally, costs must be directly related to or incurred during the incident period to be 

considered eligible.

Indian Tribal Government. An Indian tribal government is any Federally recognized 

governing body of an Indian or Alaska Native tribe, band, nation, pueblo, village, or community 

that the Secretary of Interior acknowledges to exist as an Indian tribe under the Federally 

Recognized Tribe List Act of 1994, 25 U.S.C. 479a. This does not include Alaska Native 

corporations, the ownership of which is vested in private individuals.

Individual Assistance. Supplementary Federal assistance provided under the Stafford Act to 

individuals and families adversely affected by a major disaster or an emergency. Such 

assistance may be provided directly by the Federal Government or through State or local 

governments or disaster relief organizations. (For further information, see subparts D, E, and F 

of 44 CFR part 206).

Local Government. Any county, municipality, city, town, township, public authority, school 

district, special district, intrastate district, council of governments (regardless of whether the 

council of governments is incorporated as a non-profit corporation under State law), regional or 

interstate government entity, or agency or instrumentality of a local government; any Indian 

tribal government or authorized Tribal organization, or Alaska Native village or organization; 

and any rural community, unincorporated town or village, or other public entity, for which an 

application for assistance is made by a State or political subdivision of a State. 

Major Disaster. Any natural catastrophe (including any hurricane, tornado, storm, high water, 

wind-driven water, tidal wave, tsunami, earthquake, volcanic eruption, landslide, mudslide, 

snowstorm, or drought), or, regardless of cause, any fire, flood, or explosion, in any part of the 

United States, which in the determination of the President causes damage of sufficient severity 

and magnitude to warrant major disaster assistance under this Act to supplement the efforts 

and available resources of States, local governments, and disaster relief organizations in 

alleviating the damage, loss, hardship, or suffering caused thereby. (Stafford Act section 

102(2), 42 U.S.C. 5122(2))

Mitigation, Management, and Control. Those activities undertaken, generally during the 

incident period of a declared fire, to minimize immediate adverse effects and to manage and 

control the fire. Eligible activities may include associated emergency work and pre-positioning 

directly related to the declared fire.

Mobilization. The process and procedures used for activating, assembling, and transporting all 

resources that the Grantee requested to respond to support a declared fire.

Performance Period. The time interval designated in block 13 on the Application for Federal 

Assistance (Standard Form 424) for the Grantee and all subgrantees to submit eligible costs and 

have those costs processed, obligated, and closed out by FEMA.

Pre-positioning. Moving existing fire prevention or suppression resources from an area of 

lower fire danger to one of higher fire danger in anticipation of an increase in fire activity likely 

to constitute the threat of a major disaster.
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Principal Advisor. An individual appointed by the U. S. Forest Service, U. S. Department of

Agriculture, or Bureau of Land Management, U. S. Department of the Interior, who is 

responsible for providing FEMA with a technical assessment of the fire or fire complex for which 

a State is requesting a fire management assistance declaration. The Principal Advisor frequently 

participates with FEMA on other wildland fire initiatives.

Project Worksheet. FEMA Form 009-0-0-7, which identifies actual costs incurred by eligible 

applicants as a result of the eligible firefighting activities. The PW is used to document the 

location, damage description and dimensions, scope of work, and cost estimates for materials, 

labor, and other costs of each project . It is the basis for the FMAGP grant.

Public Assistance. Supplementary Federal assistance provided under the Stafford Act to 

State and local governments or certain private, nonprofit organizations for eligible emergency 

measures and repair, restoration, and replacement of damaged facilities. (For further 

information, see 44 CFR subparts G and H of part 206.

Regional Administrator. The administrator of a regional office of FEMA, or his/her 

designated representative.

Rollup. When one or more FMAG declarations are administratively merged into a major or 

emergency disaster declaration.

Standard Form (SF) 424. The SF 424 is the Request for Federal Assistance. This is the form 

the State submits to apply for a grant under a fire management assistance declaration.

State. Any State of the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, 

Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

Subgrant. An award of financial assistance under a grant by a Grantee to an eligible 

subgrantee.

Subgrantee. An applicant that is awarded a subgrant and is accountable to the Grantee for

the use of grant funding provided.

Threat of a Major Disaster. The potential impact of the fire or fire complex is of a severity 

and magnitude that would result in a presidential major disaster declaration for the Public 

Assistance Program, the Individual Assistance Program, or both.

Uncontrolled Fire. Any fire not safely confined to predetermined control lines as established 

by firefighting resources.
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FOREWORD

A wildfire’s behavior is unpredictable and can change direction unexpectedly, spread across fire 

breaks and highways, and destroy or damage homes, buildings, and any other structures in its 

path. Uncontrolled fires can rapidly turn into blazing infernos producing fear, economic loss, 

disrupted lives, and loss of life and property. 

Controlling fires is the responsibility first of the local community and then the State. At times, 

however, their combined efforts are not sufficient to stop the spread of the fire and mitigate fire 

risk to the built environment. When this occurs, the State may request Federal assistance to 

supplement State, Tribal, and local efforts. The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and 

Emergency Assistance Act, Public Law 93-288, as amended, 42 U.S.C. §5121, et seq. (the 

Stafford Act) authorizes the President to provide Fire Management Assistance in response to a 

declared fire. Federal assistance is coordinated through the Department of Homeland Security’s 

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Under the Fire Management Assistance Grant 

(FMAG) Program, FEMA provides assistance in the form of grants for equipment, supplies, and 

personnel costs, to any State, Indian tribal government, or local government for the mitigation, 

management, and control of any fire on public or private forest land or grassland that threatens 

such destruction as would constitute a major disaster.

The FMAGP replaced FEMA’s Fire Suppression Assistance Program when Section 420 of the 

Stafford Act was amended by the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000, Public Law 106-390 and is 

effective for all fires declared on or after October 30, 2001. In order to ensure proper 

implementation of the program, it is vital that those involved at any level with the FMAG 

Program share a common understanding of the program policies and procedures. To support 

this goal, FEMA has prepared this guide as an effort to provide the State, Tribal, and local 

partners with information about the program.

This guide describes the FMAG Program basic provisions, application procedures, and other 

related program guidance. The guide should be used by elected leaders, emergency managers, 

public works directors, financial management personnel, and other individuals who have the 

responsibility for responding to wildfires.

Please send any comments or suggestions to improve this Guide to:

FMAG Program

Public Assistance Division, 4th Floor, Rm 408

Federal Emergency Management Agency

500 C Street, SW

Washington, D.C. 20472
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CHAPTER ONE – OVERVIEW

This guide describes the basic provisions, processes, and procedures of the Fire Management 

Assistance Grant (FMAG) Program. Under this Program, FEMA provides financial assistance in 

the form of grants, to assist in reimbursement for equipment, supplies, and personnel, to any

State, Indian tribal government, or local government for the mitigation, management, and

control of any declared fire on public or private forest land or grassland that threatens such

destruction as would constitute a major disaster.

The FMAG Program is part of the FEMA Public Assistance (PA) Program and is based on a 

partnership of FEMA, State, Tribal, and local officials.

FEMA is responsible for managing the program, reviewing and approving declaration requests, 

approving grants, and providing technical assistance to the State and applicants.

The State, in most cases, acts as the Grantee for the FMAGP. FEMA, the State, and the 

applicant are all responsible for grants awarded under the FMAGP. The State as Grantee, 

educates potential applicants, works with FEMA to manage the program, and is responsible for 

implementing and monitoring the grants awarded under the program. 

After a declaration, an Indian tribal government may choose to be a Grantee or, if permitted 

under state law, it may act as a subgrantee under the State. An Indian tribal government 

acting as Grantee will assume the responsibilities of a “state” for the purpose of administering 

the grant. 

Local officials are responsible for providing accurate and sufficient data to the State,

documenting costs incurred in response to an FMAGP Declaration and fire suppression efforts. 

Governing Documents

The FMAG Program is based on a hierarchy of statutes, regulations, and policies. The statute is 

the Federal law that authorizes the program. From the statute, regulations are published to 

further define program scope. Finally, policies are written to apply the statute and regulations 

to specific situations. These authorities govern the criteria through which FEMA provides funds 

under the FMAG Program.

Federal Statutes. Statutes are laws passed by the U.S. Congress and signed by the President. 

They cannot be changed or waived by FEMA or any other government agency or official.

The FMAG Program is authorized by section 420 of the Stafford Act (42 U.S.C. 5187).

Section 420: 

 Authorizes the President to provide Fire Management Assistance to State and local 

governments;

 Requires coordination with State and Tribal Departments of Forestry;

 Allows the President to provide Essential Assistance under section 403 of the Stafford 

Act; and

 Requires the establishment of rules and regulations to carry out the program.

Regulations. Regulations are rules designed to implement a statute based on an agency’s 

interpretation of a statute. They establish the basic requirements for administering a program. 
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Typically, regulations are published through an official process that allows for public comment. 

Regulations have the full force and effect of law and must be complied with once they are 

implemented. The regulations published in 44 CFR part 204 govern the FMAGP and detail the

program procedures, eligibility, and requirements. 

Additional regulations regarding grant administration and allowable costs are found in 44 CFR 

part 13, UNIFORM ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS FOR GRANTS AND COOPERATIVE 

AGREEMENTS TO STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. Relevant OMB Circulars, specifically A-87 

(Cost Principles for State, Local, and Indian tribal Governments), and A-133, (Audits of State, 

Local Government, and Non-Profit Organizations) must also be followed in grant administration. 

Policies. Policies clarify or provide direction for specific situations within the parameters 

established by the Stafford Act and regulations that pertain to the FMAGP. FEMA writes and 

publishes policies to ensure consistency in interpretation across the nation. FMAGP policies are 

included in other PA program policies.
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CHAPTER TWO – DECLARATION PROCESS

Submitting a Declaration Request 

When an uncontrolled fire on non-Federal public or private forest or grassland is such a threat 

that, in the opinion of the on scene commanders or other government officials, the fire 

threatens such destruction that would constitute a major disaster, the Governor may request 

assistance from the FMAGP. 

To begin the FMAGP application process, the Governor of a State or the Governor’s Authorized 

Representative (GAR) submits a request for an FMAGP declaration. In addition to the 

declaration request, the Governor may also designate the GAR to execute, on behalf of the 

State, all necessary documents for requesting fire management assistance. 

Declaration Request Processing 

The Governor or GAR must submit a request while the fire is burning uncontrolled and 

threatening such destruction as would constitute a major disaster (44 CFR 204.22). As the 

FMAG Program operates in real time during an incident, declaration requests may be submitted 

day or night. To expedite processing the State’s declaration request, the request should be 

submitted verbally by telephone to the FEMA Regional Administrator or designated FEMA 

Regional Fire Duty Liaison. 

When submitting a declaration request, the Governor of a State or the GAR should provide 

factual data and professional estimates as available to support the request. The State’s verbal

request must be followed up with the completed Request for Fire Management Assistance 

Declaration, FEMA form 078-0-1 (replaces 90-58). The information on FF 078-0-1 provides 

written confirmation of information submitted during the telephone declaration request and is 

required for official FEMA files. All official forms including the FF 078-0-1 and the Principal 

Advisor’s Report, FF 078-0-2 (replaces 90-32), must be received in FEMA’s Headquarter Office 

within 14 days of the date of the phone request to the FEMA Regional Office. 

Pursuant to 44 CFR 204.22, Governors and GARs are the only officials authorized to request 

FMAG declarations. Indian tribal governments are not authorized to make FMAG declaration 

requests at this time. While Indian tribal governments typically receive fire suppression 

assistance through other federal agencies, they may seek assistance under a declared FMAG to 

the extent the requested assistance is not available from another federal source. 

Declaration Criteria 

The following four criteria from 44 CFR part 204.21 are used to evaluate the threat of a fire or 

fire complex: 

(1) Threat to lives and improved property, including threats to critical facilities/infrastructure, 

and critical watershed areas; 

(2) Availability of State and local firefighting resources; 

(3) High fire danger conditions, as indicated by nationally accepted indices such as the National 

Fire Danger Ratings System; and

(4) Potential major economic impact. 
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Information for the Declaration Request 

Required Information. For FEMA to apply the evaluation criteria in 44 CFR 204.21, the 

following information, if available, should be included in both the verbal and written requests:

 Size of fire(s) in acres or square miles; 

 Name, location, and population of community(ies) threatened; 

 Number of primary and secondary residences and businesses threatened; 

 Distance of fire to nearest communities; 

 Number of persons evacuated to date, if applicable; 

 Current and predicted (24-hour) weather conditions; and 

 Degree to which State and local resources are committed to this fire and other fires in 

Federal, State, or local jurisdictions. 

To further support a declaration request, the State may append additional documentation to the 

FF 078-0-1, including: 

 Fire severity maps; 

 Geographic, topographical, or land assessment maps; or 

 Incident status summary report (ICS-209).

Fire Complex. 

A State may submit a request for an FMAGP declaration for a fire complex. Pursuant to 44 CFR 

204.3, all fires within the complex should be located in the same general area. All fires within a 

complex should be managed by the same Incident Commander, and should be approved under 

the fire declaration. Even though an entire complex may be designated in a declaration request, 

not all fires within the complex will automatically qualify. FEMA, in cooperation with the State, 

will determine which fires are eligible under a fire management assistance declaration. 

Incident Period. 

The FEMA Regional Administrator, in consultation with the GAR and the Principal Advisor

determine the start and end dates of the incident period, which is usually not established until 

the fire is controlled. 

The incident period may start on the date of the fire management assistance declaration or with 

the initial firefighting actions at the time when the fire threatens such destruction as would 

constitute a major disaster. While the incident period is normally considered closed when the 

fire is controlled, the final decision rests with the FEMA Regional Administrator, GAR, and 

Regional Advisor. 

The end of a shift or a workday normally marks the closing of the incident period. If the 

incident period starts before the date of the State’s declaration request, the factors and 

circumstances supporting that determination should be documented by the GAR and reviewed 

and approved by the FEMA Regional Administrator. Factors that may allow for an incident 

period to begin prior to the date of the declaration may include documented immediate threats 

to life and property that occurred prior to the declaration request where evacuations or other 

actions were necessary to prevent loss of life, property, or damage to critical infrastructure or 

critical watershed areas. 
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Generally, wildland firefighting costs must be incurred during the incident period of a declared

fire to be considered eligible under 44 CFR 204.42(a). However, costs related to pre-positioning,

mobilizing and demobilizing incurred outside of the approved incident period may be 

determined to be eligible costs. These costs are discussed in detail in Chapter Three, Eligibility.

Duties, Roles, and Responsibilities

State Role.

The Governor or GAR is responsible for submitting a fire declaration request. The request 

should be submitted by telephone to FEMA’s Regional Fire Duty Liaison. Following a phone

request, the Governor or GAR must complete the FF 078-0-1, Request for Fire Management

Assistance Declaration, and submit it to the FEMA Regional Administrator no later than 14 days

after the date of the initial phone request.

FEMA Regional Office Role.

The Regional Office is responsible for receiving the declaration request, obtaining additional

information from the State if the declaration request is incomplete or insufficient to make a 

determination, and for making the declaration decision.

Within the Regional Office, the Regional Fire Duty Liaison is the primary point of contact for 

FMAG requests. The Regional Fire Duty Liaison will request an assessment of the fire from the 

Principal Advisor. After all the information is obtained from the State and verified with the 

assistance of the Principal Advisor, the Regional Fire Duty Liaison contacts the Region’s 

Recovery Director for a briefing prior to contacting the Regional Administrator. The Regional 

Administrator approves or denies the request. If the request is approved, the Regional Fire Duty 

Liaison receives the FMAG declaration number from the Headquarters Office Declaration Unit 

and provides the number to the State. 

The Regional Administrator evaluates the declaration request and approves or denies the 

request based on:

 Evaluation criteria;

 Information provided in the State’s request; and

 Principal Advisor’s Report.

The threat posed by a fire or fire complex is evaluated using the State’s declaration request. 

The following information is used to evaluate the threat:

1. The fire or fire complex threatens lives and improved property, including critical

facilities/infrastructure and critical watersheds. Improved properties include, but are not 

limited to:

 Homes (single family and multi-family [i.e., townhouses, condos, apartments]);

 Hospitals, prisons, and schools;

 Police and fire stations;

 Water treatment facilities;

 Public utilities; and

 Major roadways.

2. Availability of State and local firefighting resources:

 The degree of commitment by Federal, State, and local resources to other fires; and
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 The lack of available Federal, State, and local wildland firefighting resources. 

3. High fire danger conditions as indicated by nationally accepted indices: 

 National Fire Danger Rating System (NFDRS); 

 Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI); 

 Palmer Drought Index; 

 Haines Index; and 

 Canadian Forest Fire Danger Rating System (CFFDRS). 

4. Potential major economic impact: 

 State level; 

 Local level; and 

 Regional level. 

Following the Regional Administrator’s decision, the Region contacts the State to inform of 

approval or denial. Once a determination is rendered, the Regional POC provides a summary 

email of the declaration facts to the Regional Administrator and other FEMA leadership. 

 

Principal Advisor’s Role. 

The Principal Advisor provides technical assistance to the FEMA Regional Fire Duty Liaison 

regarding the fire or fire complex that is under consideration for a declaration request. The 

Principal Advisor completes the Principal Advisor’s Report, (FF 078-0-2), and provides it to the 

FEMA Regional Fire Duty Liaison or reports the information verbally. Specifically, the Principal 

Advisor provides a technical assessment regarding the weather, fire behavior, and fire 

prognosis. The Principal Advisor’s Report (FF078-0-2) is used to verify the information and facts 

submitted by the State. The Principal Advisor’s Report does not recommend whether to approve 

or deny a State’s declaration request.

The Principal Advisor’s Report is included as part of the State’s declaration request package 

submitted to the FEMA Regional Office. The Report should be submitted to FEMA’s Regional 

Office no later than 14 days after the date of the State’s request for a fire management 

assistance declaration. 

Headquarters Office Role. 

The Headquarters Office, including the Deputy Associate Administrator of the Office of 

Response and Recovery and Deputy, Recovery Assistant Administrator, and Declarations Unit 

staff receives the Region’s summary email of the declaration or denial facts. If the declaration 

request was approved, the Declarations Unit responds with the FMAG number they assigned to 

the declared fire, and prepares and sends a letter from the FEMA Administrator to the White 

House regarding the determination. Additionally, the Declarations Unit provides the assigned 

FMAG declaration number to the Regional Fire Duty Liaison. 

Appeal of Denied Declaration Request (44 CFR 204.26)

If FEMA denies the State’s request for a declaration, the State has one opportunity to appeal 

the denial. The appeal must be submitted in writing to the Regional Administrator no later than 

30 days from the date of the letter informing the State of the denial. The appeal should contain 

any additional information that strengthens the State’s original request for assistance.
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The Regional Administrator will review the appeal, prepare a recommendation, and forward the 

appeal package to the FEMA Headquarters Office. The FEMA Headquarters Office notifies the 

State of its determination, in writing, within 90 days of receipt of the appeal, or receipt of the 

additional requested information.

The State may request a time extension to submit the appeal. The request for an extension 

must be submitted in writing to the Regional Administrator not later than 30 days from the date 

of the letter denying the declaration request. The request for an extension must include a

justification for the need for an extension. The FEMA Headquarters Office evaluates the need

for the extension based on the reasons cited in the request and renders a determination. The

Regional Office will notify the State, in writing whether the extension request is granted or 

denied. 

Post-Declaration Requirements

A State or Indian tribal government intending to apply to FEMA for assistance under the FMAGP

must have a formally approved State/Tribal Mitigation Plan. If the State or Indian tribal 

Government does not have an approved State Mitigation Plan in accordance with 44 CFR part 

204.51(d)(2) it must formally submit an acceptable State Mitigation Plan for FEMA’s review and

approval within 30 days of the signature date of the Amendment of the FEMA-State Agreement

for the FMAGP (Exhibit E). FEMA has 45 days to review the Plan. FEMA will not approve the

application for assistance under the FMAGP if the State or Indian tribal government does not

have an existing State Mitigation Plan or fails to submit one within the required timeframe.

FEMA-State Agreement

The FEMA-State or FEMA-Tribal Agreement for FMAGP (the Agreement) is a legally binding

document, that outlines the terms and conditions under which grant funding is provided for fire

management assistance declarations, and details applicable laws and regulations governing the 

program.

The Agreement is in effect for one calendar year. It must be updated annually and, ideally,

should be signed each January before the start of fire season. The Agreement lists the GAR and

other officials authorized to act on the behalf of the State. A FEMA-Tribal Agreement must be

signed if an Indian tribal government wishes to serve as a dual Grantee.

The Agreement consists of a cover letter and five Exhibits. A FEMA-State Agreement template is 

available from the FEMA HQ Declarations Unit or Public Assistance Division. A brief description 

of the exhibits follows: 

 Exhibit A - State Officials authorized to execute certification and otherwise to act on 

behalf of the State.

Exhibit A designates the GAR and Alternate GAR empowered by the Governor to execute

all necessary documents for FMAGP, including the declaration request and application

for a Fire Management Assistance Grant.

In cases where the FEMA-Tribal Agreement is signed, the list of State Certification 

Officers designates and empowers an Indian tribal authorized representative and

Alternate Tribal authorized representative, empowered by the Indian tribal chairman, to

execute the application for a Fire Management Assistance Grant. Until Exhibit A has
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been completed, only the Chief Executive of the Indian tribal government has the

authority to submit the application for a Fire Management Assistance Grant.

 Exhibit B - Certification Regarding Drug-Free Workplace Requirements.

This certification is required by the regulations implementing the Drug-Free Workplace 

Act of 1998, 44 CFR part 17, subpart F. Grantees must certify prior to award that they 

will maintain a drug-free workplace. 

 Exhibit C - Certification for Contracts, Grants, Loans, and Cooperative Agreements, New 

Restrictions on Lobbying.

Certification is required by the regulations implementing the “New Restrictions on

Lobbying”, 44 CFR part 18. It certifies no Federal appropriated funds are used to 

influence or attempt to influence officers or employees of an agency, member of 

Congress, an officer of employee of Congress in connection with the awarding of a 

Federal grant or loan, cooperative agreement, or an extension continuation, renewal, 

amendment or modification of these. 

 Exhibit D - Disaster Grant Agreement Articles.

The four Articles in this exhibit describe fiscal and other general grant obligations that 

must be followed. These include 44 CFR parts 13, 17, 18, 204 and subchapter B, 

Insurance and Hazard Mitigation, subchapter C, Fire Prevention and Control , 

subchapter D, Disaster Assistance, part 7 relating to Nondiscrimination in 

Federally-Assisted Programs, OMB Circulars, A-110, A-102, A-87, A-122, and A-133, 

31 CFR 205.6 Funding Techniques, Cash Management Improvement Act, and other 

specific terms and conditions. 

 Exhibit E - Amendment to the FEMA-State Agreement for the Fire Management

Assistance Grant Program.

After a State’s declaration request has been approved, the Governor or GAR should

immediately sign the Amendment (described below) of the FEMA-State Agreement for 

FMAGP. The Amendment must be signed by the State (or Indian tribal Government

when appropriate) and FEMA for each declared fire that occurs within the calendar year.

The Amendment contains specific information for each declared fire, including the name

of the fire or fire complex, declaration number, affected counties, and incident period.

The Amendment must be completed for each declared fire and appended to the

Agreement. The GAR or Chief Executive of the Indian tribal government as identified on 

the list of State Certification Officers can sign the Amendment on behalf of the State or

Indian tribal government.

If a State does not have a signed FEMA-State Agreement prior to submitting a declaration

request to FEMA, the State should sign an Agreement immediately after FEMA has approved the

declaration request. If the Agreement is signed after the first fire is declared, the Governor

must sign both the Agreement and Exhibit E. The State must sign and submit the Agreement

prior to, or with, the submittal of the FMAGP grant assistance request (Standard Form 424). 

Funding will not be obligated until the Governor signs the Agreement (or Chief Executive of the 

Indian tribal government, when appropriate, signs). Failure to sign the Agreement may result in

denial of the Fire Management Assistance Grant. 
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16

Inclusion of Affected Counties 

Block 15 of FF 078-0-1 (Request for a Fire Management Assistance Declaration) provides an 

entry for the county(ies) affected by the fire. Only one county is required to be listed on the 

FF 078-0-1 at the time of submission. All counties affected by the declared fire must be listed in 

Exhibit E of the FEMA–State Agreement when it is submitted. 

Modifying a Declaration Request to Add Counties 

If a declared fire or fire complex burns into adjacent counties, the additional counties may be 

eligible for assistance under the declared fire. In order to be eligible, the State must provide 

sufficient information to justify assistance for the additional counties. The State must submit the 

same type of information for the requested add-on county(ies) as was provided to FEMA for the 

original declaration request. All information is evaluated on the threat of the fire, potential 

economic impact, weather conditions, and committed and available resources. Once all 

information is submitted, FEMA will evaluate and decide whether to designate the additional 

county(ies). If the request to add counties is denied, the appeal process is the same as that for 

a denied fire declaration request as described in this guide and in 44 CFR part 204.26, Appeal 

of Fire Management Assistance Declaration Denial. 

Rollup 

In situations where a State has received an FMAG declaration(s), the State may request a major 

disaster or emergency declaration in response to the wildfires or wildfire threat. The FMAG 

Program is FEMA’s primary vehicle to assist state and local governments responding to wildland 

fires. As such, FEMA will generally not recommend a major disaster declaration for a wildland 

fire, unless the fire has significant impacts and costs that could not be addressed by the FMAG 

Program. Therefore, when evaluating a request for a major disaster as a result of wildland fire, 

FEMA will not use costs that are eligible, or could have been eligible, under an FMAG 

declaration to determine the state or countywide per capita indicators for the fire.

In order for FEMA to declare a major disaster, the request must meet the indicators under 44 

CFR Part 206.37(c)(1) and 44 CFR 206.48. To declare an emergency, the request must meet 

the language under 44 CFR Part 206.37(2). 

If either a major or an emergency declaration is approved in addition to an FMAG declaration, 

eligible costs may be claimed under the most appropriate declaration. The Grantee must ensure 

that costs claimed under one declaration type are not also claimed and reimbursed under the 

other declaration. 
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CHAPTER THREE – ELIGIBILITY

This section discusses eligibility criteria for FMAGP. The two eligibility main components are:

 Eligible Applicants for Grants and Subgrants; and

 Eligible Costs.

Applicant eligibility and eligible costs are discussed in their entirety in 44 CFR subpart C –

Eligibility, 204.41 – 201.43. 

Grant and Subgrant Applicants

Eligible Applicants: Those entities legally responsible for the firefighting activities for which 

reimbursement is being requested. The following applicants are eligible to apply through the

Grantee:

 State agencies;

 Local governments; and

 Indian tribal governments.

Under an FMAGP declaration, an affected Indian tribal government may elect to serve as

Grantee, or it may act as a subgrantee of the State. An Indian tribal government acting as

Grantee must assume all the responsibilities of a State as outlined in 44 CFR part 204 for the

purpose of administering a grant. An Indian tribal government must have a FEMA-Tribal

Agreement and an approved Tribal Mitigation Plan in place in order to serve as a Grantee.

Ineligible Applicants: Governmental entities that do not have legal responsibility for the 

firefighting activities, privately owned entities, and volunteer firefighting organizations. 

However, ineligible applicants may be reimbursed through a compact, mutual aid agreement or 

contract with an eligible applicant for eligible costs associated with the declared fire or fire 

complex. Such payments are contingent on a FEMA determination that the activities meet all 

other eligibility criteria. 

Eligible Costs Overview

All eligible work and related costs must be associated with the incident period of a declared fire.

FMAGP eligible work directly related to the declared fire is documented into two general 

categories: 

 Category B – (Emergency Protective Measures): Limited assistance provided under 

section 403 of the Stafford Act; and

 Category H – (Fire-fighting Activities): Eligible work associated with fire-related activities

provided under section 420 of the Stafford Act.

Eligible work performed must be:

 The legal responsibility of the applicant, whether it was performed by the applicant’s 

own agents or through a secondary party as described in the preceding paragraphs;

 Required as a result of the declared fire; and

 Located within the designated area. 

Eligible costs include, but are not limited to the following: 
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18

 Equipment and supplies;

 Labor costs;

 Travel and per diem;

 Temporary repairs of damage caused by firefighting activities; 

 Mobilization and demobilization; and

 Limited Pre-positioning costs approved by the Regional Administrator.

(Note: 44 CFR part 204 and Agency policies provide definitive guidance on Eligible Costs and 

should be consulted when making eligibility determinations.)

Grantee and subgrantee administrative costs are discussed in Chapter Five, Grant Management.

Eligibility of costs incurred by entities working through Mutual Aid Agreements is discussed in 

Chapter Four, Mutual Aid.

Equipment and Supplies, Generally

Purchase of supplies and equipment that are necessary to respond to the declared fire may be

eligible. The Grantee or subgrantee however, may be required to compensate FEMA for the fair

market value of the equipment and supplies when the items are no longer needed for fire

suppression activities. FEMA Policy No. 9525.12, Disposition of Equipment, Supplies and

Salvaged Materials provides guidance. 

FEMA will reimburse applicants for costs associated with equipment and supplies used on 

declared fires. Eligible costs include:

 Personal comfort and safety items normally provided by the State under field conditions

for firefighter health and safety;

 Replacement of firefighting supplies, tools, and materials that are expended, lost, or

destroyed, with comparable items to the extent not covered by reasonable insurance.

 Reimbursement for ownership and operation costs of applicant-owned equipment based 

on equipment rate guidelines in 44 CFR 206.228(a)(1), Allowable costs;

 Operation and maintenance costs of publicly owned, contracted, rented, or volunteer

firefighting department equipment to the extent any of these costs are not included in

applicable equipment rates;

 Payment for use of U.S. government-owned equipment based on reasonable actual

costs as billed by a Federal agency and paid by the State. Reimbursement for the use of

Federal Excess Personal Property is based only on the direct cost for use of the 

equipment;

 Repair of applicant-owned equipment is determined by FEMA’s Regional Office based on 

repair of damaged applicant-owned equipment less insurance proceeds. The FEMA

Regional Office will determine equipment rate costs on the lowest applicable equipment

rates, which may be FEMA, U.S. Forest Service, or State or local rates, depending on the

piece of equipment and the formula used to calculate the rate; and

 Costs to replace applicant-owned equipment that is lost or destroyed in firefighting

activities with comparable equipment of the same age, capacity, and condition to the 

extent not covered by reasonable insurance.

Labor Costs

Labor costs eligible for reimbursement include:
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19

 Overtime for force account permanent or reassigned State, Indian Tribal, or local

governmental employees, including firefighters, police, logistical support, and other

personnel involved in eligible fire suppression-related activities;

 Seasonally employed personnel, when covered under existing budgets and used for fire 

suppression activities during the season of employment, are considered permanently

employed for the purpose of cost eligibility;

 Regular-time and overtime for temporary and contract employees hired to perform

eligible fire suppression-related activities;

 Increased portion of overtime costs for regular full-time employees backfilling (one level) 

for other regular full-time employees within the same entity who are performing eligible

fire suppression-related work; and

 Permanent employees who are funded from an external source (e.g., by a grant from a

Federal agency, statutorily dedicated funds, or rate-payers) to work on specific tasks not 

related to a declared fire may be paid for regular-time and overtime for fire suppressionrelated work. 

For further guidance see FEMA Policy No. 9525.7, Labor Costs-Emergency Work .

Travel and Per Diem

Travel and per diem are eligible for applicants under a declared fire. Eligible travel and per diem

include:

 Travel and per diem for all State, Indian Tribal, and local governmental employees who

provide services requested by the Incident Commander and directly associated with

declared and eligible fire-related activities, and

 Field camps and meal costs when provided in lieu of per diem.

Pre-Positioning Costs

States frequently pre-position Federal, out-of-State, State, International, and local resources

during extreme fire hazards to improve initial attack capabilities. Pre-positioning is the

temporary relocation of existing fire prevention or suppression resources from an area of low

fire danger to one of higher fire danger in anticipation of an increase in fire activity likely to 

constitute the threat of a major disaster. 

Pre-positioning costs incurred up to a maximum of 21 days before the date of the fire 

declaration may be eligible under FMAGP, even when staged outside the designated area. Prepositioning costs for out-of-state, Federal, and International pre-positioned resources that were 

actually used on the declared fire are eligible. Pre-positioning of privately owned local resources 

(those physically located within a State) may be eligible, however, State or local governmentowned/operated resources are not eligible. Costs incurred to pre-position resources that 

remained at the staging area and were not used on the declared fire are not eligible.

For example, if one staging area has three Blackhawk helicopters pre-positioned and only one

of the helicopters is used in the wildland firefighting efforts for a declared fire, then only the

pre-positioning costs for that one helicopter are eligible for funding. The use of one piece of

equipment on a declared fire does not make pre-positioning costs for an entire staging area

(i.e., all three helicopters) eligible for funding.

The Regional Administrator must approve all pre-positioning costs. For pre-positioning costs to

be eligible under FMAGP, the State must:
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20

 Notify the FEMA Regional Administrator of its intention to seek funding for prepositioning resources at the time it submits the declaration request (or immediately 

thereafter). Since pre-positioning is undertaken in anticipation of an event, it is

reasonable for a State to know whether it anticipates submitting costs for prepositioning at the time the declaration request is approved or immediately thereafter; 

 Document specific pre-positioned resources by number, type, and location; 

 Estimate the cost of the pre-positioned resources and the duration of pre-positioning; 

and

 Provide detailed justification for pre-positioning, including scientific indicators such as

drought indices, current allocation of State firefighting resources, weather conditions, 

and the number of wildland fires currently burning in the State. 

Parties are encouraged to have a written mutual aid agreement in place prior to a declared fire 

that addresses pre-positioning costs. For further guidance see FEMA Policy No. 9523.6, Mutual 

Aid Agreements for Public Assistance and Fire Management Assistance . 

Emergency Work/Essential Assistance 

FEMA may provide funding under FMAGP for essential assistance to reduce or minimize 

immediate threats to life and property under section 403, Essential Assistance of the Stafford 

Act when such assistance is directly related to the mitigation, management, and control of the 

declared fire. 

Mitigation, management, and control are those activities undertaken, generally during the 

incident period of a declared fire, to minimize the immediate adverse effects and to manage 

and control the fire. Only emergency work performed during the incident period of a declared 

fire is eligible for funding. 

Essential mitigation, management, and control activities under section 403 may include: 

 Police barricading and traffic control; 

 Extraordinary emergency operations center expenses; 

 Evacuation and sheltering (people, household pets, and service animals);

 Search and rescue; 

 Arson patrol and investigation teams, operating during the declared fire incident period 

when there is a clear continuing threat; 

 Public information dissemination to inform people what to do during the declared fire; and

 Limited removal of burned or unburned trees (i.e., snags) that pose a threat to the 

safety of the general public. 

Mitigation activities designed to reduce the potential for future fires or to minimize damage 

from future fires are ineligible for funding under FMAGP. 

Temporary Repairs 

Temporary repair of damage caused by firefighting activities are short-term actions to repair 

damage directly caused by firefighting efforts or activities. All temporary repair of damage 

caused by firefighting activities must be completed within 30 days of the close of the incident 

period for the declared fire. It should be noted that temporary repair of damage caused by 

firefighting activities does not include repair of damage caused by the declared fire. 

Additionally, the eligible cost of temporary repairs is less any proceeds covered by insurance. 
______________________________________________________________________________ 

21

Examples of temporary repair activities that may be eligible for funding include: 

 Minimal repairs to bulldozer lines, field camps, and staging areas to address safety 

concerns. For example, severe gouging of the grounds of a heavily trafficked park or 

recreation area may be eligible to be filled or boarded over to mitigate public safety and 

health concerns. However, temporary repairs would not include a complete re-grading of 

an entire park or recreation area. 

 Minimal repairs to facilities, such as fences, buildings, bridges, and roads, damaged by 

firefighting activities. For example, repair of a portion of a fence that was removed to 

gain access to a declared fire with a section of chain link fence may be eligible. 

Mobilization and Demobilization 

Costs for mobilizing and demobilizing resources to and from a declared fire may be eligible for 

reimbursement under FMAGP. 

 Mobilization is the process used for activating, assembling, and transporting all 

resources the Grantee requested to respond to or support a declared fire. 

 Demobilization is the process of deactivating, disassembling, and transporting back to

their point of origin all wildland firefighting resources that had been provided to respond 

to and support a declared fire. 

 Eligible demobilization costs may be incurred after the close of the Incident Period, 

when the fire is controlled, and may be claimed at a delayed date after other eligible 

costs. 

 If resources are continuously mobilized throughout multiple declared/non-declared fires, 

incurred eligible de-mobilization costs may be claimed once, for the last declared fire 

where the resource was actually used. 

Donated Resources 

In some fires, individuals and organizations donate volunteer labor, equipment, and material. 

FEMA has determined that the value of “in-kind” contributions by third parties may be credited 

toward the calculation of the non-Federal cost share. 

FEMA Policy No. 9525.2, Donated Resources, provides guidance on how to credit applicants for 

the value of donated resources. 

Ineligible Costs 

Ineligible costs include the following: 

 Costs not directly associated with the fire’s incident period (with the exception of prepositioning, and mobilization/demobilization of eligible resources); 

 Costs incurred in the mitigation, management, and control of undeclared fires; 

 Costs for the straight or regular-time salaries and benefits of permanently employed or

reassigned personnel of a subgrantee; 

 Costs for mitigation, management, and control of a declared fire on commingled Federal 

land when such costs are reimbursable to the State by a Federal agency under another 

statute; 

 Time and costs expended by volunteer labor, which by nature is offered on a donated 

basis and is not bound by contract or employment terms (see “Donated Resources”); 

and 
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22

 Costs related to planning, pre-suppression, recovery, and mitigation of possible future

damage related to the burn area of the declared fire, such as:

- Planning actions such as risk assessments;

- Cutting fire-breaks without the presence of an imminent threat;

- Pre-planned non-field training;

- Road widening;

- Land rehabilitation such as seeding, planting operations, or erosion control;

- Timber salvage; and

- Restoration of facilities damaged by fire.
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CHAPTER FOUR – MUTUAL AID

Mutual Aid Agreements

Many State, Tribal, and local governments enter into mutual aid. A mutual aid agreement is an 

agreement between jurisdictions or agencies to provide services across boundaries in an 

emergency or major disaster. Such agreements usually provide for reciprocal services or direct 

payment for services. FEMA will reimburse mutual aid costs for eligible emergency work, when 

requested by the applicant (receiving entity) in accordance with FEMA Policy 9523.6, Mutual Aid 

Agreements for Public Assistance. 

Key provisions of the Policy include: 

 Reimbursement provisions are not contingent on a declared fire; 

 Assistance is for the performance of eligible work; 

 Claimed costs are reasonable; 

 Requesting and providing entities keep detailed records of services requested and 

received; and 

 Claimed costs are in accordance with FEMA policy. 

When a pre-event agreement provides for reimbursement, but also provides for an initial period 

of unpaid assistance, FEMA will pay the eligible costs of assistance after the initial unpaid 

period. When a pre-event mutual aid agreement provides for reimbursement and there is a 

consistent record of reimbursement without Federal funds, FEMA reimbursement will follow the 

provisions of the agreement.

When the parties do not have a pre-event written mutual aid agreement, the Requesting and 

Providing entities may verbally agree on the type and extent of mutual aid resources to be 

provided to the current event, and the terms, conditions, and costs of such assistance. Postevent verbal agreements must be documented in writing and executed by an official of each 

entity with authority to request and provide assistance, and provided to FEMA as a condition of 

receiving reimbursement.

Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC)

EMAC is a form of mutual aid whereby a disaster-impacted state can request and receive 

assistance from other member states quickly and efficiently. There are two types of work 

potentially eligible for FEMA reimbursement; grant management work and emergency work. To 

the extent the specific agreement between states meets the requirements of the FEMA policy 

on mutual aid agreements and the work meets FEMA eligibility requirements, costs may be 

eligible for FEMA assistance. Reimbursement for these costs is subject to the non-Federal cost 

share for that FMAGP declaration. 

All costs must be consistent with policies, regulations, and procedures that apply uniformly to 

both Federal awards and other activities of the applicant. The receiving entity is responsible for 

requesting FEMA assistance and for the non-Federal cost share.

Follow this link for additional information on EMAC: http://www.emacweb.org
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CHAPTER FIVE – GRANT MANAGEMENT

The Grantee is the State or Indian tribal government receiving an FMAGP grant and is

responsible for administering the grant. There is only one Grantee for each declared fire, except

when a State Grantee and an Indian Tribal Grantee are under the same fire declaration. Only

the State agency as designated by the Governor in the FEMA-State Agreement for FMAGP for

the declared fire, or an Indian tribal government, can be designated as the Grantee. 

General administrative requirements for grants and cooperative agreements are found in 44 

CFR Part 13, Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative 

Agreements to State and Local Governments. Additional program specific requirements 

for the FMAG Program are found in 44 CFR part 204, Fire Management Assistance Grant 

Program. 

Grant Application File

The Regional Office maintains a grant application file that may include the following forms. 

 Standard Form 424 Request for Federal Assistance

 FEMA Form 078-0-1 Request for Fire Management Declaration (replaced FF 90-58)

 FEMA Form 078-0-2 Principal Advisor's Report (replaced FF 90-32) 

 FEMA Form 089-0-24 Request for Fire Management Assistance Subgrant (RFMAS) (replaced 

FF 90-133)

 FEMA Form 009-0-0-7 Project Worksheet (PW) (replaced FF 90-91)

 FEMA Form 20-16a Assurances Non-Construction Programs 

 FEMA Form 20-16b Assurances Construction Programs

 Standard Form 269 Financial Status Report

 Standard Form 425 Federal Financial Report (replaced FEMA Form 20-10) 

*Note: FMAG form numbers changed when OMB approved new forms and form numbers. The 

90-32 is now 078-0-2, 90-58 is now 078-0-1, 90-91 is now 009-0-0-7, and the 90-133 is now

089-0-24.

The FEMA Regional Office is responsible for reviewing grant applications for eligibility and 

approving and obligating funds. 

Initial Grant Application and Approval Timeframe

The State must submit its initial grant application (SF 424) no later than nine months after the

date of the fire declaration. In extenuating circumstances, such as delay in receiving bills for 

Federal resources ordered, the State may submit a written request for a time extension to the 

FEMA Regional Administrator. The request for a time extension must provide a detailed 

justification for the delay and need for the extension. Upon receipt of the written request from 

the State, the FEMA Regional Administrator may approve a time extension of up to three

months.

The FEMA Regional Administrator has 45 days from the receipt of the State’s initial grant 

application, or an amendment to the State’s grant application, to approve or deny the 

application package or amendment or to notify the State of a delay. Before the Regional 

Administrator can approve the State’s grant application, the State must demonstrate that it:
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25

 Met the fire cost threshold;

 Has an approved State Administrative Plan; and

 Has an approved State Mitigation Plan.

Fire Cost Threshold

Prior to approval of the grant, the State’s eligible fire costs must meet either its individual fire

cost threshold or the cumulative fire cost threshold.

When submitting the initial grant application, the State must demonstrate that it has met either the 

individual or cumulative fire cost threshold. To demonstrate that the individual or cumulative fire

cost threshold has been met, the State or FEMA staff must document the total eligible costs for a

declared fire on PWs. These are attached to the SF 424 and submitted as part of its grant 

application.

It is important to note that the cost for the pre-positioning of wildland firefighting resources is not

considered when determining whether a grant application meets the fire cost threshold. The costs

for all eligible fires within a declared fire complex are aggregated and treated as an individual fire

for purposes of meeting or exceeding the fire thresholds.

Amendments to the initial grant application may be submitted thereafter, increasing the overall 

value of the grant.

Individual Fire Cost Threshold: The individual fire cost threshold is based on total eligible costs

for the declared fire. The individual fire cost threshold for a State is the greater of the following:

 $100,000; or

 5% x the statewide per capita indicator x the State population (the statewide per capita 

indicator is adjusted annually for inflation. (The FY14 indicator is $1.39.)

Cumulative Fire Cost Threshold: The cumulative fire cost threshold is based on total eligible 

costs incurred during the calendar year for all declared fires and total costs incurred on nondeclared wildland fires (Federal costs not billed/payable by the State cannot be included in this 

calculation). The cumulative fire cost threshold for a State is the greater of the following:

 $500,000; or

 3 x 5% the statewide per capita indicator x the State population (the statewide per 

capita indicator is adjusted annually for inflation. (The FY14 indicator is $1.39.)

NOTE: The fire cost thresholds for each State are adjusted annually for inflation using the 

Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers published by the U.S. Department of Labor.

State Administrative Plan

In accordance with 44 CFR part 204.51(d)(1), Application and Approval Procedures for a 

Fire Management Assistance Grant, State Administrative Plan , the State must develop an

Administrative Plan or have a current FEMA-approved Administrative Plan on file with the FEMA 

Regional Office that describes the procedures for administering the FMAGP. The plan may be a 

stand-alone document or an addendum to the Public Assistance Program State Administrative 

Plan.
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26

At a minimum, the State Administrative Plan must include:

 The designation of the State agency (i.e., Grantee) that will have responsibility for

program administration; and

 The identification of staffing functions, sources of staff to fill these functions, and 

management and oversight responsibilities of each. 

 Procedures for:

- Notifying potential applicants of the availability of the program;

- Assisting FEMA in determining applicant eligibility;

- Submitting and reviewing subgrant applications;

- Processing payment requests for subgrantees;

- Submitting, reviewing, and accepting performance and financial reports;

- Monitoring, closing-out, auditing, and reconciling of subgrants;

- Recovering funds for disallowed costs;

- Processing appeal requests and requests for time extensions; and,

- Providing technical assistance and materials on the application procedures,

program eligibility guidance, and program deadlines.

The State should review its FMAG Program State Administrative Plan annually and make

necessary amendments to reflect changes in programmatic guidance or signatory parties. The

State may request the Regional Administrator provide technical assistance in preparing the State

Administrative Plan. 

State Mitigation Plan

Section 322 of the Stafford Act, Mitigation Planning and implementing regulations (44 CFR

parts 201 and 204), require governments to take a proactive approach to mitigation planning.

Before FEMA can approve a State FMAGP application the Grantee must have an approved State 

Mitigation Plan that addresses wildfire risks and mitigation measures.

The intent of requiring hazard mitigation planning to receive FMAGP grants is to identify the 

State’s wildfire hazards and cost-effective mitigation alternatives that produce long-term 

benefits.

Grantee Responsibilities

The Grantee is responsible for administering an FMAGP grant. Grantee responsibilities include

the following:

 Submitting the grant application package to the FEMA Regional Administrator for review 

and approval;

 Managing the administration and operation of FMAGP in coordination with FEMA;

 Disbursing funding to subgrantees;

 Monitoring subgrant awards;

 Conducting closeouts; and

 Obtaining audits.

The Grantee is the primary contact for transactions with and on behalf of applicants applying

for a fire management assistance subgrant. The Grantee is responsible for submitting all

subgrantee requests (FF 089-0-24) and PWs to FEMA for review and approval as part of the
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27

grant application package. The Grantee certifies applicant eligibility and that costs for work

performed in the wildland firefighting activities comply with FEMA laws, regulations, policy, and

guidance applicable to FMAGP, as well as the terms and conditions outlined for the

administration of the grant in the FMAGP FEMA-State Agreement. During the closeout process

or an audit, should funds be disallowed, the Grantee is responsible for recovery and return of

funds to FEMA.

Subgrants

Eligible Subgrant Entities

State and Indian tribal governmental agencies not designated as Grantee, as well as local

governmental entities, may be eligible for FMAGP subgrants. In cases where an Indian tribal

government is serving in a dual role as a Grantee and subgrantee under the State’s declaration,

all Indian tribal government entities applying for subgrants must submit their applications

through the Indian tribal government Grantee. Privately owned entities, private nonprofits, and

volunteer entities are not eligible for subgrant, but may be reimbursed through Mutual Aid 

agreements with an eligible subgrantee.

Request for Fire Management Assistance Subgrant (RFMAS) 

State, Indian Tribal, and local governments interested in applying for FMAGP subgrants must

submit a RFMAS (FF 089-0-24) to the Grantee in accordance with State procedures, and within

the timeframe established by the Grantee, but no later than 30 days after the close of the

incident period.

The RFMAS is an applicant’s official notification to both the Grantee and FEMA of its intent to

apply for a subgrant. The form includes information identifying the applicant, including the

applicant’s name, address, and primary and secondary contacts. The Grantee reviews the

RFMAS and forwards it to the FEMA Regional Office. The Regional Administrator then 

determines applicant eligibility and informs the Grantee of his/her determination. The Grantee 

then notifies the applicant. If approved, the subgrant application process may begin.

Project Worksheets (PWs)

After approving a Grantee or Subgrantee’s request, FEMA Regional staff may begin to work with 

the Grantee and local staff to prepare PWs. The Regional Administrator may request the 

Principal Advisor to assist with PW preparation. If a Grantee or FEMA prepares a PW for a 

subgrantee, the subgrantee must review and concur with the PW. 

Subgrantees must submit all PWs to the Grantee for review. The Grantee then submits them to 

the Regional Administrator as part of its grant application. PWs must be greater than $1,000 to 

be eligible under FMAGP. PWs must be submitted within the timeframe established by the 

Grantee, but no later than six months from the close of the incident period. At the request of 

the Grantee, the Regional Administrator may grant a three month extension.

Procurement Policies

Established procurement policies must be followed when procuring goods or services with FEMA 

Public Assistance/FMAG funds. Established policies must adhere to all State, Tribal, and local 

laws and regulations as well as Federal standards. If procurement standards do not comport 

with FEMA regulations, the procurement standards outlined in 44 CFR part 13.36, 

Procurement must be followed. 
______________________________________________________________________________

28

Grantees and subgrantees should take the necessary steps to ensure there are opportunities to 

award contracts to minority, women-owned, and Labor Surplus Area businesses and firms 

whenever possible. Examples of affirmative steps include, but are not limited to: ensuring that 

the group of contractors considered for awards reflects appropriate demographics, placing 

qualified minority and women-owned businesses on solicitation lists, soliciting these businesses 

when possible, and requiring prime contractors to take these steps as well. 

FEMA will review, on an ongoing basis, procurement documents to validate that affirmative 

steps to utilize minority and women-owned businesses are being followed during the 

administration of an award. Individuals, organizations, and vendors can challenge contract 

awards through formal protest, complaints of discrimination in awarding the contract, 

allegations of real or apparent conflict of interest, or failure to follow established procedure for 

making an award. It is your responsibility to have protest procedures to handle and resolve 

disputes relating to your procurements and to provide information regarding protests to FEMA.

Cost Share

Under 44 CFR part 204.61 the Federal cost share for a FMAG Program Grant is 75 percent. The

25 percent non-Federal cost share can be provided in its entirety by the Grantee, subgrantee, 

or a combination of the two. Under the FMAGP regulations, FEMA may not adjust the costshare. All terms and conditions are outlined in the FEMA-State Agreement and apply to all

declared fires within each calendar year. 

Duplication of Benefits

Pursuant to section 312 of the Stafford Act, and 44 CFR part 204.62(a) Duplication and 

Recovery of Assistance, Duplication of benefits, FEMA may not duplicate benefits received by

or available to the applicant from insurance, other assistance programs, legal awards, or any

other source to address the same purpose. A subgrantee must notify the Grantee of all benefits

that it receives or anticipates to receive from other sources for the same purpose and must

seek all such benefits available to them. FEMA will reduce the grant by the amount available for

the same purpose from other sources.

Assistance may be provided under FMAGP when other benefits do not fully cover the eligible 

work. However, the applicant must repay FEMA for any duplicated amounts that it receives or

has available to it from other sources.

FEMA does not provide assistance for activities for which another Federal agency has more

specific or primary authority to provide assistance. FEMA may disallow or recoup amounts that

fall within another Federal agency’s statutory authority. FEMA may provide assistance in such 

situations, but the applicant must agree to seek assistance from the appropriate Federal agency

and to repay FEMA for amounts that are within another agency’s authority. It is the applicant’s

responsibility to notify the Grantee of any duplicate costs recovered from another Federal

agency.

Negligence and Intentional Acts

Pursuant to 44 CFR part 204.62(c), FEMA will not provide assistance to an applicant for costs

attributable to its own negligence. If negligence by another party results in damages, assistance 

may be provided, on the condition that the applicant agrees to cooperate in all efforts 
______________________________________________________________________________

29

necessary to recover the cost of such assistance from the negligent party. Any individual who 

intentionally causes a declared fire shall be liable to the United States to the extent of costs 

incurred. An individual will not be liable as a result of actions taken or omitted in the course of 

rendering care or assistance in response to the fire. 

If the applicant suspects negligence or intentional acts by a third party for contributing to or 

igniting a declared fire, the applicant is responsible for taking all reasonable steps to recover

costs from the third party. Any recovered costs are considered duplicated benefits and need to

be remitted to FEMA.

To ensure that applicants take reasonable steps toward cost recovery and possible prosecution

of responsible entities, FEMA will require applicants to document their liability findings and

proposed plan of action. The Grantee must work with the State’s Attorney General to pursue 

legal avenues to recover costs from any negligent third party responsible for a declared fire. 

The State’s decision to prosecute for damages from a liable third party must be documented

and signed by the State’s Attorney General, and provided by the Grantee to the Regional Office

as part of the State’s initial grant application or as a subsequent amendment.

The Applicant must demonstrate reasonable efforts to recover costs from a negligent third 

party. If FEMA determines an applicant has not made reasonable efforts to recover costs from a 

negligent third party responsible for igniting a declared fire, FEMA may withhold or recoup 

funding from the grant. FEMA recognizes that it may not be feasible or cost effective for

applicants to pursue cost recovery from all third parties responsible for igniting a declared fire.

FEMA may pursue measures against a third party whose intentional acts contributed to the 

costs incurred by the declared fire even if an applicant chooses not to prosecute.

When the declared fire was determined to have been caused by an intentional act, the Grantee 

and/or subgrantee must agree to cooperate with the Federal government in any action it may 

take to recover costs. Specifically, 44 CFR part 204.62(d), Duplication and Recovery of 

Assistance requires “an agreement by the applicant to cooperate with [FEMA] in [its] efforts to 

recover the cost of the assistance from the liable party.” Again, when the State signs the FEMAState Agreement, under Article 9 it agrees “...on its behalf and on behalf of its political 

subdivisions and other recipients of Federal disaster assistance, to cooperate with the Federal 

Government in seeking recovery of funds ... against any party or parties whose intentional acts 

or omissions may have caused or contributed to the damage or hardship for which Federal 

assistance is provided... .”

FEMA will review any costs recovered by the Grantee and/or subgrantee for a fire caused by an 

act of negligence to determine if there is a duplication of benefits. Duplicated costs must be 

repaid based on the Federal cost share. Consideration will be given to the terms and conditions 

of the award or settlement, and any additional legal costs incurred.

Administrative Costs

Grantee

Under 44 CFR part 204.63, the Grantee may claim both direct and indirect administrative costs

for costs associated with requesting, obtaining, and administering a grant for a declared fire.
______________________________________________________________________________

30

Direct costs include regular and overtime pay and travel expenses for permanent, reassigned,

temporary, and contract employees who assist in administering the Grant.

Funding for other direct costs incurred by the Grantee administering a grant, such as equipment

and supply purchases, may be eligible, but must be approved by the Regional Administrator.

Indirect costs incurred by the Grantee during the administration of a grant are allowed in

accordance with the provisions of 44 CFR part 13 and OMB Circular A-87. The Grantee must

submit a copy of the indirect cost proposal along with the PW for indirect costs. The PW is 

reviewed by FEMA’s Disaster Finance Center for reasonableness and eligibility.

Costs included in the computation of the indirect cost rate are not allowable as direct

administrative costs.

Subgrantee

The subgrantee may claim costs associated with requesting, obtaining, and administering a

subgrant for a declared fire. Direct costs include regular and overtime pay and travel expenses

for permanent, reassigned, temporary, and contract employees who assist in administering the

fire management assistance subgrant.

Funding for other direct costs incurred by the subgrantee administering a subgrant, such as

equipment and supply purchases, may be eligible, but must be reviewed by the Grantee and

FEMA Regional Administrator.

Subgrantees may not claim indirect administrative costs.

Appeals of Grant Eligibility

A Grantee or subgrantee may appeal any grant-related determination made by FEMA, including

determinations on applicant eligibility, work eligibility, and cost eligibility. (See 44 CFR part

204.54), Appeals.

There are two levels of appeals. The first is to the FEMA Regional Administrator. The second

appeal is to the Assistant Administrator of the Recovery Directorate in FEMA Headquarters, and 

it is the final administrative decision of FEMA. 

Applicants must submit all appeals within 60 days to the Grantee. The Grantee will review the 

appeal and forward it with a written recommendation to the FEMA Regional Administrator.

Appeals should contain documented justification supporting the appellant’s position, specifying 

the determination in dispute and the provisions in Federal law, regulation, or policy with which 

the appellant believes the initial determination was inconsistent.

Within 90 days following receipt of an appeal, the FEMA Regional Administrator (for first 

appeals) or Deputy Associate Administrator of the Office of Response and Recovery at FEMA 

Headquarter Office (for second appeals) will notify the Grantee in writing of the disposition of

the appeal or of the need for additional information.
______________________________________________________________________________

31

A request for additional information will include a date when the information must be provided. 

Within 90 days following the receipt of the requested additional information, or following 

expiration of the period for providing the information, the Regional Administrator or Deputy 

Associate Administrator of the Office of Response and Recovery will notify the Grantee in 

writing of the disposition of the appeal. If the decision is to grant the appeal, the FEMA 

Regional Administrator takes appropriate implementing action. 

When an appeal involves technical issues, the FEMA Regional Administrator or Deputy Associate 

Administrator of the Office of Response and Recovery may submit the appeal to an independent 

scientific or technical person or group for advice or recommendation. The period for this 

technical review may be in addition to other allotted time periods. Within 90 days of receipt of a 

technical report, the FEMA Regional Administrator or Deputy Associate Administrator of the 

Office of Response and Recovery will notify the Grantee in writing of the disposition of the 

appeal.

Grant Closeouts

Regulations governing grant closeouts are found in 44 CFR part 13.50, Closeout. The purpose

of closeout is to certify that all eligible costs have been disbursed. During the closeout process,

estimated costs are reconciled with actual costs. It is the Grantee’s responsibility to document

all costs associated with the eligible wildland firefighting activities. The Grantee is responsible

for making sure that all documentation on PWs is accurate, complete, and up to date for

closeout. Failure to properly document any project may result in loss of funding for that project.

The Grantee must submit all required documentation within 90 days after the performance

period expiration date. The performance period is the time interval designated in block 13 on SF

424 for the Grantee and all subgrantees to submit eligible costs and have those costs

processed, obligated, and closed out by FEMA. The Grantee will submit a final Federal Financial

Report (SF 425), which reports all costs incurred within the incident period and all

administrative costs incurred within the performance period.

A grant is ready to be closed when all funds have been distributed and all documentation is

complete. Either FEMA or the Grantee can begin the closeout process. The FEMA Regional

Office may begin the closeout process with a letter of inquiry, followed by a letter of intent to

proceed with the closeout when no other justification can be provided to keep the grant open.

Audit Requirements and Documentation

All grant and subgrant recipients must comply with OMB Circular A-133, Audits of States, 

Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations. Specifically that section requiring

grant or subgrant recipients expending $500,000 or more in Federal funds in a fiscal year to

obtain an audit. Specific information pertaining to the audit requirements of each State is

outlined in their respective State Administration Plans. States must abide by both Federal and

State audit requirements.

Grant recipients may also be subject to additional audits by the Department of Homeland

Security Office of Inspector General and State auditors for items not covered under OMB 

Circular A-133. Specific documentation and procedures are based on the requirements of the

OMB. The OMB requires grant receipts to maintain financial and program records for three

years following certification and request for closeout. The Office of Inspector General may
______________________________________________________________________________

32

independently, or at FEMA’s request, initiate an audit of a Grantee or subgrantee for a particular

fire or fire complex.

In some instances, State law and procedures may require paperwork to be retained for longer

than the three years required by OMB. It is important for grant recipients to check the specific

audit requirements and statutes governing their State.

The importance of maintaining a complete and accurate set of records for each project cannot 

be overemphasized. Accurate and complete documentation will facilitate the validation, 

approval, and funding processes for projects.

All of the documentation pertaining to a project should be filed together with the corresponding 

Project Worksheet and maintained as part of the permanent record of the project. These 

records become the basis for verifying project costs.

Documentation is the process of establishing and maintaining accurate records of events and 

expenditures related to suppression and recovery work. The information required for 

documentation basically describes the “who, what, when, where, why, and how much” for each 

item of disaster recovery work.

It is important that events and expenses incurred in an FMAG declaration are accurately 

documented. While there are many ways to maintain records, a system must be in place to 

ensure all necessary information is readily available and in a usable format.

Accurate documentation helps to:

 Recover eligible costs;

 Have the information necessary to develop PWs;

 Have the information available, which the Region and/or State may need to see, to 

validate the accuracy and eligibility of costs; and

 Be ready for any State or Federal audits, or other Federal program reviews.
______________________________________________________________________________ 

33

CHAPTER SIX – SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

Forms 

The following forms may be accessed at FEMA’s Management Directorate Webpage located at: 

http://online.fema.net/management/records/forms.shtm

Alphabetical Order by Form Name 

SF 424 Application for Federal Assistance 

FF 90-128 Applicant’s Benefits Calculation Worksheet 

FF 20-16B Assurances—Construction Programs 

FF 20-16A Assurances—Non-construction Programs 

FF 20-20 Budget Information—Non-construction Programs 

FF 20-16C Certifications Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension And Other 

 Responsibility Matters; And Drug-Free Workplace Requirements 

FF 90-126 Contract Work Summary Record 

SF 425 Federal Financial Report 

FF 90-127 Force Account Equipment Summary Record 

FF 90-123 Force Account Labor Summary Record 

FF 90-124 Material Summary Sheet 

FF 078-0-2 Principal Advisor’s Report (replaces 90-32) 

FF 009-0-0-7 Project Worksheet (replaces 90-91) 

FF 90-91A Project Worksheet—Damage Description and Scope of Work Continuation Sheet 

FF 90-91B Project Worksheet—Cost Estimate Continuation Sheet 

FF 90-91C Project Worksheet— Maps and Sketches Sheet 

FF 90-125 Rented Equipment Summary Record 

FF 078-0-1 Request for Fire Management Assistance Declaration (Replaces FF 90-58) 

FF 089-0-24 Request for Fire Management Assistance Subgrant (Replaces FF 90-133)

FF 90-120 Special Considerations Questions 

FF 20-16 Summary Sheet for Assurances and Certifications 

Ascending Order by Form Number 

FF 009-0-0-7 Project Worksheet 

FF 078-0-1 Request for Fire Management Assistance Declaration (Replaces FF 90-58)

FF 078-0-2 Principal Advisor’s Report (Replaces FF 90-32)

FF 089-0-24 Request for Fire Management Assistance Subgrant (Replaces FF 90-133)

FF 20-16 Summary Sheet for Assurances and Certifications 

FF 20-16A Assurances—Non-construction Programs 

FF 20-16B Assurances—Construction Programs 

FF 20-16C Certifications Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension And Other 

 Responsibility Matters; And Drug-Free Workplace Requirements 

FF 20-20 Budget Information—Non-construction Programs 

SF 424 Application for Federal Assistance 

SF 425 Federal Financial Report 

FF 90-32 Principal Advisor’s Report (replaced by 078-0-2)

FF 90-120 Special Considerations Questions 

FF 90-123 Force Account Labor Summary Record 
______________________________________________________________________________ 

34

FF 90-124 Material Summary Sheet 

FF 90-125 Rented Equipment Summary Record 

FF 90-126 Contract Work Summary Record 

FF 90-127 Force Account Equipment Summary Record 

FF 90-128 Applicant’s Benefits Calculation Worksheet 

FF 90-133 Request for Fire Management Assistance Subgrant (replaced by 089-0-24)

FF 90-58 Request for Fire Management Assistance Declaration (replaced by 078-0-1)

FF 90-91 Project Worksheet (replaced by 009-0-0-7)

FF 90-91A Project Worksheet—Damage Description and Scope of Work Continuation Sheet 

FF 90-91B Project Worksheet—Cost Estimate Continuation Sheet 

FF 90-91C Project Worksheet— Maps and Sketches Sheet 

Forms Available only as PDF 

Incident Status Report ICS-209 http://www.usda.gov/documents/ics209.pdf

Subpart and Section References, 44 CFR Part 204 

Subpart A—General 

§ 204.1 Purpose. 

§ 204.2 Scope. 

§ 204.3 Definitions used throughout this part. 

§§ 204.4-204.20 [Reserved] 

Subpart B—Declaration Process 

§ 204.21 Fire management assistance declaration criteria. 

§ 204.22 Submitting a request for a fire management assistance declaration. 

§ 204.23 Processing a request for a fire management assistance declaration. 

§ 204.24 Determination on request for a fire management assistance declaration. 

§ 204.25 FEMA–State agreement for fire management assistance grant program. 

§ 204.26 Appeal of fire management assistance declaration denial. 

§§ 204.27-204.40 [Reserved] 

Subpart C—Eligibility 

§ 204.41 Applicant eligibility. 

§ 204.42 Eligible costs. 

§ 204.43 Ineligible costs. 

§§ 204.44-204.50 [Reserved] 

Subpart D—Application Procedures 

§ 204.51 Application and approval procedures for a fire management assistance grant. 

§ 204.52 Application and approval procedures for a subgrant under a fire management 

 assistance grant. 

§ 204.53 Certifying costs and payments. 

§ 204.54 Appeals. 

§§ 204.55-204.60 [Reserved] 

Subpart E—Grant Administration 
______________________________________________________________________________

35

§ 204.61 Cost share.

§ 204.62 Duplication and recovery of assistance.

§ 204.63 Allowable costs.

§ 204.64 Reporting and audit requirements

9500 Series Policy Publications

FEMA policies governing Pubic Assistance and Fire Management Assistance may be accessed 

on-line at: http://www.fema.gov/government/grant/pa/9500toc.shtm

44 CFR Part 204

Title 44: Emergency Management and Assistance

PART 204—FIRE MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAM

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Section Contents

Subpart A—General

§ 204.1 Purpose.

§ 204.2 Scope.

§ 204.3 Definitions used throughout this part.

§§ 204.4-204.20 [Reserved]

Subpart B—Declaration Process

§ 204.21 Fire management assistance declaration criteria.

§ 204.22 Submitting a request for a fire management assistance declaration.

§ 204.23 Processing a request for a fire management assistance declaration.

§ 204.24 Determination on request for a fire management assistance declaration.

§ 204.25 FEMA–State agreement for fire management assistance grant program.

§ 204.26 Appeal of fire management assistance declaration denial.

§§ 204.27-204.40 [Reserved]

Subpart C—Eligibility

§ 204.41 Applicant eligibility.

§ 204.42 Eligible costs.

§ 204.43 Ineligible costs.

§§ 204.44-204.50 [Reserved]
______________________________________________________________________________

36

Subpart D—Application Procedures

§ 204.51 Application and approval procedures for a fire management assistance grant.

§ 204.52 Application and approval procedures for a subgrant under a fire management 

assistance grant.

§ 204.53 Certifying costs and payments.

§ 204.54 Appeals.

§§ 204.55-204.60 [Reserved]

Subpart E—Grant Administration

§ 204.61 Cost share.

§ 204.62 Duplication and recovery of assistance.

§ 204.63 Allowable costs.

§ 204.64 Reporting and audit requirements

Subpart A—General

§ 204.1 Purpose.

This part provides information on the procedures for the declaration and grants management 

processes for the Fire Management Assistance Grant Program in accordance with the provisions 

of section 420 of the Stafford Act. This part also details applicant eligibility and the eligibility of 

costs to be considered under the program. We (FEMA) will actively work with State and Tribal 

emergency managers and foresters on the efficient delivery of fire management assistance as 

directed by this part.

§ 204.2 Scope.

This part is intended for those individuals responsible for requesting declarations and 

administering grants under the Fire Management Assistance Grant Program, as well as those 

applying for assistance under the program.

§ 204.3 Definitions used throughout this part.

Applicant. A State or Indian tribal government submitting an application to us for a fire 

management assistance grant, or a State, local, or Indian tribal government submitting an 

application to the Grantee for a subgrant under an approved fire management assistance grant.

Assistant Administrator. The Assistant Administrator for the Disaster Assistance Directorate of 

FEMA, or his/her designated representative.

Declared fire. An uncontrolled fire or fire complex, threatening such destruction as would 

constitute a major disaster, which the Assistant Administrator for the Disaster Assistance 
______________________________________________________________________________

37

Directorate has approved in response to a State's request for a fire management assistance 

declaration and in accordance with the criteria listed in §204.21.

Demobilization. The process and procedures for deactivating, disassembling, and transporting 

back to their point of origin all resources that had been provided to respond to and support a 

declared fire.

FEMA Form 90–91. See Project Worksheet.

Fire complex. Two or more individual fires located in the same general area, which are assigned 

to a single Incident Commander.

Governor's Authorized Representative (GAR). The person empowered by the Governor to 

execute, on behalf of the State, all necessary documents for fire management assistance, 

including the request for a fire management assistance declaration.

Grant. An award of financial assistance, including cooperative agreements, by FEMA to an 

eligible Grantee. The grant award will be based on the projected amount of total eligible costs 

for which a State submits an application and that FEMA approves related to a declared fire.

Grantee. The Grantee is the government to which a grant is awarded which is accountable for 

the use of the funds provided. The Grantee is the entire legal entity even if only a particular 

component of the entity is designated in the grant award document. Generally, the State, as 

designated in the FEMA-State Agreement for the Fire Management Assistance Grant Program, is 

the Grantee. However, after a declaration, an Indian tribal government may choose to be a 

Grantee, or it may act as a subgrantee under the State. An Indian tribal government acting as 

Grantee will assume the responsibilities of a “state”, as described in this Part, for the purpose of 

administering the grant.

Hazard mitigation plan. A plan to develop actions the State, local, or tribal government will take 

to reduce the risk to people and property from all hazards. The intent of hazard mitigation 

planning under the Fire Management Assistance Grant Program is to identify wildfire hazards 

and cost-effective mitigation alternatives that produce long-term benefits. We address 

mitigation of fire hazards as part of the State's comprehensive Mitigation Plan, described in 44 

CFR part 201.

Incident commander. The ranking official responsible for overseeing the management of fire 

operations, planning, logistics, and finances of the field response.

Incident period. The time interval during which the declared fire occurs. The Regional 

Administrator , in consultation with the Governor's Authorized Representative and the Principal 

Advisor, will establish the incident period. Generally, costs must be incurred during the incident 

period to be considered eligible.

Indian tribal government. An Indian tribal government is any Federally recognized governing 

body of an Indian or Alaska Native tribe, band, nation, pueblo, village, or community that the 

Secretary of Interior acknowledges to exist as an Indian tribe under the Federally Recognized 
______________________________________________________________________________

38

Tribe List Act of 1994, 25 U.S.C. 479a. This does not include Alaska Native corporations, the 

ownership of which is vested in private individuals.

Individual assistance. Supplementary Federal assistance provided under the Stafford Act to 

individuals and families adversely affected by a major disaster or an emergency. Such 

assistance may be provided directly by the Federal Government or through State or local 

governments or disaster relief organizations. For further information, see subparts D, E, and F 

of part 206.

Local government. A local government is any county, municipality, city, town, township, public 

authority, school district, special district, intrastate district, council of governments (regardless 

of whether the council of governments is incorporated as a nonprofit corporation under State 

law), regional or interstate government entity, or agency or instrumentality of a local 

government; any Indian tribal government or authorized tribal organization, or Alaska Native 

village or organization; and any rural community, unincorporated town or village, or other 

public entity, for which an application for assistance is made by a State or political subdivision 

of a State.

Mitigation, management, and control. Those activities undertaken, generally during the incident 

period of a declared fire, to minimize immediate adverse effects and to manage and control the 

fire. Eligible activities may include associated emergency work and pre-positioning directly 

related to the declared fire.

Mobilization. The process and procedures used for activating, assembling, and transporting all 

resources that the Grantee requested to respond to support a declared fire.

Performance period. The time interval designated in block 13 on the Application for Federal 

Assistance (Standard Form 424) for the Grantee and all subgrantees to submit eligible costs and 

have those costs processed, obligated, and closed out by FEMA.

Pre-positioning. Moving existing fire prevention or suppression resources from an area of lower 

fire danger to one of higher fire danger in anticipation of an increase in fire activity likely to 

constitute the threat of a major disaster.

Principal advisor. An individual appointed by the Forest Service, United States Department of 

Agriculture, or Bureau of Land Management, Department of the Interior, who is responsible for 

providing FEMA with a technical assessment of the fire or fire complex for which a State is 

requesting a fire management assistance declaration. The Principal Advisor also frequently 

participates with FEMA on other wildland fire initiatives.

Project worksheet. FEMA Form 90–91, which identifies actual costs incurred by eligible 

applicants as a result of the eligible firefighting activities.

Public assistance. Supplementary Federal assistance provided under the Stafford Act to State 

and local governments or certain private, nonprofit organizations for eligible emergency 

measures and repair, restoration, and replacement of damaged facilities. For further 

information, see Subparts G and H of Part 206.
______________________________________________________________________________

39

Regional Administrator. The administrator of a regional office of FEMA, or his/her designated 

representative.

Request for Federal Assistance. See Standard Form (SF) 424.

Standard Form (SF) 424. The SF 424 is the Request for Federal Assistance. This is the form the 

State submits to apply for a grant under a fire management assistance declaration.

Subgrant. An award of financial assistance under a grant by a Grantee to an eligible 

subgrantee.

Subgrantee. An applicant that is awarded a subgrant and is accountable to the Grantee for the 

use of grant funding provided.

Threat of a major disaster. The potential impact of the fire or fire complex is of a severity and 

magnitude that would result in a presidential major disaster declaration for the Public 

Assistance Program, the Individual Assistance Program, or both.

Uncontrolled fire. Any fire not safely confined to predetermined control lines as established by 

firefighting resources.

We, our, us mean FEMA.

[66 FR 57347, Nov. 14, 2001, as amended at 68 FR 61370, Oct. 28, 2003; 74 FR 15345, Apr. 3, 

2009]

§§ 204.4-204.20 [Reserved]

Subpart B—Declaration Process

§ 204.21 Fire management assistance declaration criteria.

(a) Determinations. We will approve declarations for fire management assistance when the 

Assistant Administrator for the Disaster Assistance Directorate determines that a fire or fire 

complex threatens such destruction as would constitute a major disaster.

(b) Evaluation criteria. We will evaluate the threat posed by a fire or fire complex based on 

consideration of the following specific criteria:

(1) Threat to lives and improved property, including threats to critical facilities/infrastructure, 

and critical watershed areas;

(2) Availability of State and local firefighting resources;

(3) High fire danger conditions, as indicated by nationally accepted indices such as the National 

Fire Danger Ratings System;

(4) Potential major economic impact.
______________________________________________________________________________

40

§ 204.22 Submitting a request for a fire management assistance declaration.

The Governor of a State, or the Governor's Authorized Representative (GAR), may submit a 

request for a fire management assistance declaration. The request must be submitted while the 

fire is burning uncontrolled and threatens such destruction as would constitute a major disaster. 

The request must be submitted to the Regional Administrator and should address the relevant 

criteria listed in §204.21, with supporting documentation that contains factual data and 

professional estimates on the fire or fire complex. To ensure that we can process a State's 

request for a fire management assistance declaration as expeditiously as possible, the State 

should transmit the request by telephone, promptly followed by written documentation (FEMA 

Form 90–58).

§ 204.23 Processing a request for a fire management assistance declaration.

(a) In processing a State's request for a fire management assistance declaration, the Regional 

Administrator , in coordination with the Principal Advisor, will verify the information submitted in 

the State's request.

(b) The Regional Administrator will then forward the State's request to the Assistant 

Administrator for the Disaster Assistance Directorate for determination along with the Principal 

Advisor's Assessment and the Regional Summary.

(1) Principal Advisor's assessment. The Principal Advisor, at the request of the Regional 

Administrator , is responsible for providing us with a technical assessment of the fire or fire 

complex for which the State is requesting a fire management assistance declaration. The 

Principal Advisor may consult with State agencies, usually emergency management or forestry, 

as well as the Incident Commander, in order to provide us with an accurate assessment.

(2) Regional summary and recommendation. Upon obtaining all necessary information on the 

fire or fire complex from the State and the Principal Advisor, the Regional Administrator will 

provide the Assistant Administrator for the Disaster Assistance Directorate with a summary and 

recommendation to accompany the State's request. The summary and recommendation should 

include a discussion of the threat of a major disaster.

§ 204.24 Determination on request for a fire management assistance declaration.

The Assistant Administrator for the Disaster Assistance Directorate will review all information 

submitted in the State's request along with the Principal Advisor's assessment and Regional 

summary and render a determination. The determination will be based on the conditions of the 

fire or fire complex existing at the time of the State's request. When possible, the Assistant 

Administrator for the Disaster Assistance Directorate will evaluate the request and make a 

determination within several hours. Once the Associate Director makes a determination, the 

Associate Director will promptly notify the Regional Administrator . The Regional Administrator 

will then inform the State of the determination.

§ 204.25 FEMA–State agreement for fire management assistance grant program.
______________________________________________________________________________

41

(a) After a State's request for a fire management assistance declaration has been approved, the 

Governor and Regional Administrator will enter into a standing FEMA–State Agreement (the 

Agreement) for the declared fire and for future declared fires in that calendar year. The State 

must have a signed and up-to-date FEMA–State Agreement before receiving Federal funding for 

fire management assistance grants. FEMA will provide no funding absent a signed and up-todate Agreement. An Indian tribal government serving as Grantee, must sign a FEMA–Tribal 

Agreement, modeled upon the FEMA–State Agreement.

(b) The Agreement states the understandings, commitments, and conditions under which we 

will provide Federal assistance, including the cost share provision and articles of agreement 

necessary for the administration of grants approved under fire management assistance 

declarations. The Agreement must also identify the State legislative authority for firefighting, as 

well as the State's compliance with the laws, regulations, and other provisions applicable to the 

Fire Management Assistance Grant Program.

(c) For each subsequently declared fire within the calendar year, the parties must add a 

properly executed amendment, which defines the incident period and contains the official 

declaration number. Other amendments modifying the standing Agreement may be added 

throughout the year to reflect changes in the program or signatory parties.

§ 204.26 Appeal of fire management assistance declaration denial.

(a) Submitting an appeal. When we deny a State's request for a fire management assistance 

declaration, the Governor or GAR may appeal the decision in writing within 30 days after the 

date of the letter denying the request. The State should submit this one-time request for 

reconsideration in writing, with appropriate additional information, to the Associate Director 

through the Regional Administrator . The Assistant Administrator for the Disaster Assistance 

Directorate will notify the State of his/her determination on the appeal, in writing, within 90 

days of receipt of the appeal or the receipt of additional requested information.

(b) Requesting a time-extension. The Assistant Administrator for the Disaster Assistance 

Directorate may extend the 30-day period provided that the Governor or the GAR submits a 

written request for such an extension within the 30-day period. The Assistant Administrator for 

the Disaster Assistance Directorate will evaluate the need for an extension based on the 

reasons cited in the request and either approve or deny the request for an extension.

§§ 204.27-204.40 [Reserved]

Subpart C—Eligibility

§ 204.41 Applicant eligibility.

(a) The following entities are eligible to apply through a State Grantee for a subgrant under an 

approved fire management assistance grant:

(1) State agencies;

(2) Local governments; and
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42

(3) Indian tribal governments.

(b) Entities that are not eligible to apply for a subgrant as identified in (a), such as privately 

owned entities and volunteer firefighting organizations, may be reimbursed through a contract 

or compact with an eligible applicant for eligible costs associated with the fire or fire complex.

(c) Eligibility is contingent upon a finding that the Incident Commander or comparable State 

official requested the applying entity's resources.

(d) The activities performed must be the legal responsibility of the applying entity, required as 

the result of the declared fire, and located within the designated area.

§ 204.42 Eligible costs.

(a) General. (1) All eligible work and related costs must be associated with the incident period 

of a declared fire.

(2) Before obligating Federal funds the Regional Administrator must review and approve the 

initial grant application, along with Project Worksheets submitted with the application and any 

subsequent amendments to the application.

(3) Grantees will award Federal funds to subgrantees under State law and procedure and 

complying with 44 CFR part 13.

(b) Equipment and supplies. Eligible costs include:

(1) Personal comfort and safety items normally provided by the State under field conditions for 

firefighter health and safety, including:

(2) Firefighting supplies, tools, materials, expended or lost, to the extent not covered by 

reasonable insurance, will be replaced with comparable items.

(3) Operation and maintenance costs of publicly owned, contracted, rented, or volunteer 

firefighting department equipment used in eligible firefighting activities to the extent any of 

these costs are not included in applicable equipment rates.

(4) Use of U.S. Government-owned equipment based on reasonable costs as billed by the 

Federal agency and paid by the State. (Only direct costs for use of Federal Excess Personal 

Property (FEPP) vehicles and equipment on loan to State Forestry and local cooperators may be 

eligible.)

(5) Repair of equipment damaged in firefighting activities to the extent not covered by 

reasonable insurance. We will use the lowest applicable equipment rates, or other rates that we 

determine, to calculate the eligible cost of repairs.

(6) Replacement of equipment lost or destroyed in firefighting activities, to the extent not 

covered by reasonable insurance, will be replaced with comparable equipment.
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43

(c) Labor costs. Eligible costs include:

(1) Overtime for permanent or reassigned State and local employees.

(2) Regular time and overtime for temporary and contract employees hired to perform firerelated activities.

(d) Travel and per diem costs. Eligible costs include:

(1) Travel and per diem of employees who are providing services directly associated with 

eligible fire-related activities may be eligible.

(2) Provision of field camps and meals when made available in place of per diem;

(e) Pre-positioning costs. (1) The actual costs of pre-positioning Federal, out-of-State (including 

compact), and international resources for a limited period may be eligible when those resources 

are used in response to a declared fire.

(2) The Regional Administrator must approve all pre-positioning costs.

(i) Upon approval of a State's request for a fire management assistance declaration by the 

Assistant Administrator for the Disaster Assistance Directorate , the State should immediately 

notify the Regional Administrator of its intention to seek funding for pre-positioning resources.

(ii) The State must document the number of pre-positioned resources to be funded and their 

respective locations throughout the State, estimate the cost of the pre-positioned resources that 

were used on the declared fire and the amount of time the resources were pre-positioned, and 

provide a detailed explanation of the need to fund the pre-positioned resources.

(iii) The State will base the detailed explanation on recognized scientific indicators, that include, 

but are not limited to, drought indices, short-term weather forecasts, the current number of 

fires burning in the State, and the availability of in-State firefighting resources. The State may 

also include other quantitative indicators with which to measure the increased risk of the threat 

of a major disaster.

(iv) Based on the information contained in the State's notification, the Regional Administrator 

will determine the number of days of pre-positioning to be approved for Federal funding, up to 

a maximum of 21 days before the fire declaration.

(3) Upon rendering his/her determination on pre-positioning costs, the Regional Administrator 

will notify the Assistant Administrator for the Disaster Assistance Directorate of his/her 

determination.

(f) Emergency work. We may authorize the use of section 403 of the Stafford Act, Essential 

Assistance, under an approved fire management assistance grant when directly related to the 

mitigation, management, and control of the declared fire. Essential assistance activities that 

may be eligible include, but are not limited to, police barricading and traffic control, 
______________________________________________________________________________

44

extraordinary emergency operations center expenses, evacuations and sheltering, search and 

rescue, arson investigation teams, public information, and the limited removal of trees that pose 

a threat to the general public.

(g) Temporary repair of damage caused by firefighting activities. Temporary repair of damage 

caused by eligible firefighting activities listed in this subpart involves short-term actions to 

repair damage directly caused by the firefighting effort or activities. This includes minimal 

repairs to bulldozer lines, camps, and staging areas to address safety concerns; as well as 

minimal repairs to facilities damaged by the firefighting activities such as fences, buildings, 

bridges, roads, etc. All temporary repair work must be completed within thirty days of the close 

of the incident period for the declared fire.

(h) Mobilization and demobilization. Costs for mobilization to, and demobilization from, a 

declared fire may be eligible for reimbursement. Demobilization may be claimed at a delayed 

date if deployment involved one or more declared fires. If resources are being used on more 

than one declared fire, mobilization and demobilization costs must be claimed against the first 

declared fire.

(i) Fires on co-mingled Federal/State lands. Reasonable costs for the mitigation, management, 

and control of a declared fire burning on co-mingled Federal and State land may be eligible in 

cases where the State has a responsibility for suppression activities under an agreement to 

perform such action on a non-reimbursable basis. (This provision is an exception to normal 

FEMA policy under the Stafford Act and is intended to accommodate only those rare instances 

that involve State firefighting on a Stafford Act section 420 fire incident involving co-mingled 

Federal/State and privately-owned forest or grassland.)

§ 204.43 Ineligible costs.

Costs not directly associated with the incident period are ineligible. Ineligible costs include the 

following:

(a) Costs incurred in the mitigation, management, and control of undeclared fires;

(b) Costs related to planning, pre-suppression ( i.e., cutting fire-breaks without the presence of 

an imminent threat, training, road widening, and other similar activities), and recovery ( i.e., 

land rehabilitation activities, such as seeding, planting operations, and erosion control, or the 

salvage of timber and other materials, and restoration of facilities damaged by fire);

(c) Costs for the straight or regular time salaries and benefits of a subgrantee's permanently 

employed or reassigned personnel;

(d) Costs for mitigation, management, and control of a declared fire on co-mingled Federal land 

when such costs are reimbursable to the State by a Federal agency under another statute (See 

44 CFR part 51);

(e) Fires fought on Federal land are generally the responsibility of the Federal Agency that owns 

or manages the land. Costs incurred while fighting fires on federally owned land are not eligible 

under the Fire Management Assistance Grant Program except as noted in §204.42(i).
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45

§§ 204.44-204.50 [Reserved]

Subpart D—Application Procedures

§ 204.51 Application and approval procedures for a fire management assistance grant.

(a) Preparing and submitting an application. (1) After the approval of a fire management 

assistance declaration, the State may submit an application package for a grant to the Regional 

Administrator . The application package must include the SF 424 (Request for Federal 

Assistance) and FEMA Form 20–16a (Summary of Assurances—Non-construction Programs), as 

well as supporting documentation for the budget.

(2) The State should submit its grant application within 9 months of the declaration. Upon 

receipt of the written request from the State, the Regional Administrator may grant an 

extension for up to 3 months. The State's request must include a justification for the extension.

(b) Fire cost threshold. (1) We will approve the initial grant award to the State when we 

determine that the State's application demonstrates either of the following:

(i) Total eligible costs for the declared fire meet or exceed the individual fire cost threshold; or

(ii) Total costs of all declared and non-declared fires for which a State has assumed 

responsibility in a given calendar year meet the cumulative fire cost threshold.

(2) The individual fire cost threshold for a State is the greater of the following:

(i) $100,000; or

(ii) Five percent × $1.07 × the State population, adjusted annually for inflation using the 

Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers published annually by the Department of Labor.

(3) The cumulative fire cost threshold for a State is the greater of the following:

(i) $500,000; or

(ii) Three times the five percent × $1.07 × the State population as described in 

§204.51(b)(2)(ii).

(4) States must document the total eligible costs for a declared fire on Project Worksheets, 

which they must submit with the grant application.

(5) We will not consider the costs of pre-positioning resources for the purposes of determining 

whether the grant application meets the fire cost threshold.

(6) When the State's total eligible costs associated with the fire management assistance 

declaration meet or exceed the fire cost threshold eligible costs will be cost shared in 

accordance with §204.61.
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46

(c) Approval of the State's grant application. The Regional Administrator has 45 days from 

receipt the State's grant application or an amendment to the State's grant application, including 

attached supporting Project Worksheet(s), to review and approve or deny the grant application 

or amendment; or to notify the Grantee of a delay in processing funding.

(d) Obligation of the grant. Before we approve the State's grant application, the State must 

have an up-to-date State Administrative Plan and a Hazard Mitigation Plan that has been 

reviewed and approved by the Regional Administrator . Once these plans are approved by the 

Regional Administrator , the State's grant application may be approved and we may begin to 

obligate the Federal share of funding for subgrants to the Grantee.

(1) State administrative plan. (i) The State must develop an Administrative Plan (or have a 

current Administrative Plan on file with FEMA) that describes the procedures for the 

administration of the Fire Management Assistance Grant Program. The Plan will include, at a 

minimum, the items listed below:

(A) The designation of the State agency or agencies which will have responsibility for program 

administration.

(B) The identification of staffing functions for the Fire Management Assistance Program, the 

sources of staff to fill these functions, and the management and oversight responsibilities of 

each.

(C) The procedures for:

( 1 ) Notifying potential applicants of the availability of the program;

( 2 ) Assisting FEMA in determining applicant eligibility;

( 3 ) Submitting and reviewing subgrant applications;

( 4 ) Processing payment for subgrants;

( 5 ) Submitting, reviewing, and accepting subgrant performance and financial reports;

( 6 ) Monitoring, close-out, and audit and reconciliation of subgrants;

( 7 ) Recovering funds for disallowed costs;

( 8 ) Processing appeal requests and requests for time extensions; and

( 9 ) Providing technical assistance to applicants and subgrant recipients, including briefings for 

potential applicants and materials on the application procedures, program eligibility guidance 

and program deadlines.

(ii) The Grantee may request the Regional Administrator to provide technical assistance in the 

preparation of the State Administrative Plan.
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47

(2) Hazard Mitigation Plan. As a requirement of receiving funding under a fire management 

assistance grant, a State, or tribal organization, acting as Grantee, must:

(i) Develop a Mitigation Plan in accordance with 44 CFR part 201 that addresses wildfire risks 

and mitigation measures; or

(ii) Incorporate wildfire mitigation into the existing Mitigation Plan developed and approved 

under 44 CFR part 201 that also addresses wildfire risk and contains a wildfire mitigation 

strategy and related mitigation initiatives.

[66 FR 57347, Nov. 14, 2001, as amended at 68 FR 61371, Oct. 28, 2003]

§ 204.52 Application and approval procedures for a subgrant under a fire management 

assistance grant.

(a) Request for Fire Management Assistance. (1) State, local, and tribal governments interested 

in applying for subgrants under an approved fire management assistance grant must submit a 

Request for Fire Management Assistance to the Grantee in accordance with State procedures 

and within timelines set by the Grantee, but no longer than 30 days after the close of the 

incident period.

(2) The Grantee will review and forward the Request to the Regional Administrator for final 

review and determination. The Grantee may also forward a recommendation for approval of the 

Request to the Regional Administrator when appropriate.

(3) The Regional Administrator will approve or deny the request based on the eligibility 

requirements outlined in §204.41.

(4) The Regional Administrator will notify the Grantee of his/her determination; the Grantee will 

inform the applicant.

(b) Preparing a Project Worksheet. (1) Once the Regional Administrator approves an applicant's 

Request for Fire Management Assistance, the Regional Administrator's staff may begin to work 

with the Grantee and local staff to prepare Project Worksheets (FEMA Form 90–91).

(2) The Regional Administrator may request the Principal Advisor to assist in the preparation of 

Project Worksheets.

(3) The State will be the primary contact for transactions with and on behalf of the applicant.

(c) Submitting a Project Worksheet. (1) Applicants should submit all Project Worksheets 

through the Grantee for approval and transmittal to the Regional Administrator as amendments 

to the State's application.

(2) The Grantee will determine the deadline for an applicant to submit completed Project 

Worksheets, but the deadline must be no later than six months from close of the incident 

period.
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48

(3) At the request of the Grantee, the Regional Administrator may grant an extension of up to 

three months. The Grantee must include a justification in its request for an extension.

(4) Project Worksheets will not be accepted after the deadline and extension specified in 

paragraphs (c)(2) and (c)(3) of this section has expired.

(5) $1,000 Project Worksheet minimum. When the costs reported are less than $1,000, that 

work is not eligible and we will not approve that Project Worksheet.

§ 204.53 Certifying costs and payments.

(a) By submitting applicants' Project Worksheets to us, the Grantee is certifying that all costs 

reported on applicant Project Worksheets were incurred for work that was performed in 

compliance with FEMA laws, regulations, policy and guidance applicable to the Fire Management 

Assistance Grant Program, as well as with the terms and conditions outlined for the 

administration of the grant in the FEMA-State Agreement for the Fire Management Assistance 

Grant Program.

(b) Advancement/Reimbursement for State grant costs will be processed as follows:

(1) Through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services SMARTLINK system; and

(2) In compliance with 44 CFR § 13.21 and U. S. Treasury 31 CFR part 205, Cash Management 

Improvement Act.

§ 204.54 Appeals.

An eligible applicant, subgrantee, or grantee may appeal any determination we make related to 

an application for the provision of Federal assistance according to the procedures below.

(a) Format and content. The applicant or subgrantee will make the appeal in writing through 

the grantee to the Regional Administrator . The grantee will review and evaluate all subgrantee 

appeals before submission to the Regional Administrator . The grantee may make granteerelated appeals to the Regional Administrator . The appeal will contain documented justification 

supporting the appellant's position, specifying the monetary figure in dispute and the provisions 

in Federal law, regulation, or policy with which the appellant believes the initial action was 

inconsistent.

(b) Levels of appeal. (1) The Regional Administrator will consider first appeals for fire 

management assistance grant-related decisions under subparts A through E of this part.

(2) The Assistant Administrator for the Disaster Assistance Directorate will consider appeals of 

the Regional Administrator's decision on any first appeal under paragraph (b)(1) of this section.

(c) Time limits. (1) Appellants must file appeals within 60 days after receipt of a notice of the 

action that is being appealed.
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49

(2) The grantee will review and forward appeals from an applicant or subgrantee, with a written 

recommendation, to the Regional Administrator within 60 days of receipt.

(3) Within 90 days following receipt of an appeal, the Regional Administrator (for first appeals) 

or Assistant Administrator for the Disaster Assistance Directorate (for second appeals) will notify 

the grantee in writing of the disposition of the appeal or of the need for additional information. 

A request by the Regional Administrator or Assistant Administrator for the Disaster Assistance 

Directorate for additional information will include a date by which the information must be 

provided. Within 90 days following the receipt of the requested additional information or 

following expiration of the period for providing the information, the Regional Administrator or 

Assistant Administrator for the Disaster Assistance Directorate will notify the grantee in writing 

of the disposition of the appeal. If the decision is to grant the appeal, the Regional 

Administrator will take appropriate implementing action.

(d) Technical advice. In appeals involving highly technical issues, the Regional Administrator or 

may, at his or her discretion, submit the appeal to an independent scientific or technical person 

or group having expertise in the subject matter of the appeal for advice or recommendation. 

The period for this technical review may be in addition to other allotted time periods. Within 90 

days of receipt of the report, the Regional Administrator or Assistant Administrator for the 

Disaster Assistance Directorate will notify the grantee in writing of the disposition of the appeal.

(e) The decision of the Assistant Administrator for the Disaster Assistance Directorate at the 

second appeal level will be the final administrative decision of FEMA.

§§ 204.55-204.60 [Reserved]

Subpart E—Grant Administration

§ 204.61 Cost share.

(a) All fire management assistance grants are subject to a cost share. The Federal cost share 

for fire management assistance grants is seventy-five percent (75%).

(b) As stated in §204.25, the cost share provision will be outlined in the terms and conditions of 

the FEMA-State Agreement for the Fire Management Assistance Grant Program.

§ 204.62 Duplication and recovery of assistance.

(a) Duplication of benefits. We provide supplementary assistance under the Stafford Act, which 

generally may not duplicate benefits received by or available to the applicant from insurance, 

other assistance programs, legal awards, or any other source to address the same purpose. An 

applicant must notify us of all benefits that it receives or anticipates from other sources for the 

same purpose, and must seek all such benefits available to them. We will reduce the grant by 

the amounts available for the same purpose from another source. We may provide assistance 

under this Part when other benefits are available to an applicant, but the applicant will be liable 

to us for any duplicative amounts that it receives or has available to it from other sources, and 

must repay us for such amounts.
______________________________________________________________________________ 

50

(b) Duplication of programs. We will not provide assistance under this part for activities for 

which another Federal agency has more specific or primary authority to provide assistance for 

the same purpose. We may disallow or recoup amounts that fall within another Federal 

agency's authority. We may provide assistance under this part, but the applicant must agree to 

seek assistance from the appropriate Federal agency and to repay us for amounts that are 

within another Agency's authority. 

(c) Negligence. We will provide no assistance to an applicant for costs attributable to applicant's 

own negligence. If the applicant suspects negligence by a third party for causing a condition for 

which we made assistance available under this Part, the applicant is responsible for taking all 

reasonable steps to recover all costs attributable to the negligence of the third party. We 

generally consider such amounts to be duplicated benefits available to the Grantee or 

subgrantee, and will treat them consistent with (a) of this section. 

(d) Intentional acts. Any person who intentionally causes a condition for which assistance is 

provided under this part shall be liable to the United States to the extent that we incur costs 

attributable to the intentional act or omission that caused the condition. We may provide 

assistance under this part, but it will be conditioned on an agreement by the applicant to 

cooperate with us in efforts to recover the cost of the assistance from the liable party. A person 

shall not be liable under this section as a result of actions the person takes or omits in the 

course of rendering care or assistance in response to the fire. 

§ 204.63 Allowable costs.

44 CFR § 13.22 establishes general policies for determining allowable costs. 

(a) We will reimburse direct costs for the administration of a fire management assistance grant 

under 44 CFR part 13. 

(b) We will reimburse indirect costs for the administration of a fire management assistance 

grant in compliance with the Grantee's approved indirect cost rate under OMB Circular A–87.

§ 204.64 Reporting and audit requirements

(a) Reporting. Within 90-days of the Performance Period expiration date, the State will submit a 

final Financial Status Report (FEMA Form 20–10), which reports all costs incurred within the 

incident period and all administrative costs incurred within the performance period; and 

(b) Audit. (1) Audits will be performed, for both the Grantee and the subgrantees, under 44 

CFR § 13.26. 

(2) FEMA may elect to conduct a program-specific Federal audit on the Fire Management 

Assistance Grant or a subgrant. 
FEMA P-954

Catalog No. 13176-1