Attorney General Mayes leads coalition advocating for FEMA to address extreme heat and wildfire smoke

PHOENIX — Attorney General Kris Mayes today led a coalition of 14 attorneys general in petitioning the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to initiate rulemaking to update its regulations to recognize extreme heat and wildfire smoke events as eligible for major disaster declarations under the Stafford Act. The petition also seeks to clarify that wildfire smoke events are eligible for Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) funding.
In their letter addressed to FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell and Chief Counsel Adrian Sevier, the attorneys general highlighted the increasing frequency and severity of extreme heat and wildfire smoke events due in part to climate change. The letter explains that such events pose significant public health risks and financial burdens on local communities, which may require federal assistance to effectively respond to these disasters.
“Extreme heat and wildfire smoke events are devastating because of their severe impact on public health and the environment, yet they are not currently recognized as major disasters by FEMA,” said Attorney General Mayes. “Updating FEMA’s regulations to include these events will provide much-needed resources and help us better protect our residents.”
The letter detailed the significant impacts of recent extreme heat and wildfire smoke events, citing examples such as the 2021 Pacific Northwest Heat Dome, which resulted in hundreds of deaths and widespread power outages, and the Canadian wildfires that blanketed parts of the Midwest and East Coast in smoke. The attorneys general underscored the importance of proactive measures and federal support in mitigating the effects of these disasters.
“In 2022, Arizona recorded 1,030 deaths related to or caused by heat statewide, as well as over 4,000 hospital or emergency room visits for heat-related illness,” added Attorney General Mayes. “These preventable deaths are occurring both inside and outside, highlighting the need for things such as additional LIHEAP funding for low-income customers to receive assistance with their utility bills, more data-driven, 24-hour cooling centers, and better worker protections for extreme heat and wildfire smoke. Arizona is also in a long-term drought, which increases wildfire hazards exponentially.”
The letter explains the urgent need for FEMA to amend its definition of “major disaster” to explicitly include extreme heat and wildfire smoke events. It also emphasizes the critical role of Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) funding in addressing the health impacts of wildfire smoke, such as providing HEPA air filtration devices and other necessary supplies to vulnerable populations. Additionally, the letter highlights the projected increase in frequency and severity of these events, stressing the necessity for a more robust and adaptive federal response.
In sending today’s letter, Attorney General Mayes was joined by the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, and Vermont.
A copy of the letter is available here. (https://mcusercontent.com/cc1fad182b6d6f8b1e352e206/files/f0201b68-1134-16ac-a25e-eef3ca2e9fa6/FEMA_Petition_Letter_of_Support_Final_7_16_24.pdf)