A federal major disaster declaration has been approved for Nebraska for damage caused by historic wildfires in March.
Gov. Jim Pillen requested the disaster declaration in May to help pay for nearly $10 million in damage to public infrastructure from four wildfires that burned more than 800,000 acres in total.
Pillen said he was grateful for the wildfire recovery support from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and President Donald Trump.
“We know that on a personal level, farmers and ranchers are continuing to deal with the devastating aftermath,” Pillen said. “This request will help to ensure that roads are returned to safe and usable condition and that our electrical infrastructure is restored to proper operational standards.”
Announced Thursday afternoon, the approved declaration covers damage in Arthur, Garden, Grant, Lincoln and Morrill counties.
FEMA’s disaster assistance provides cost-sharing to the state, tribal organizations, local governments and some non-profits.
According to the governor’s request for FEMA funds, most public damage occurred in Garden and Grant counties. Roads suffered the “most substantial impacts,” and damage to public power “will require full reconstruction of segments of the system rather than repairs.”
With an estimated damage total of around $9.6 million calculated by FEMA and the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency, the cost-sharing from the federal government will kickstart western Nebraska’s long road to recovery.
However, the funds only cover public costs. Damage to private property – such as burned fencing, grazing land loss and livestock impacts – is up to landowners to manage.
Advocates for wildfire victims recommend farmers and ranchers apply for all federal emergency funding programs they could be eligible for – such as through the U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency and Natural Resource Conservation Service.
Many are also receiving private donations, filing insurance claims or requesting property tax exemptions.
Jessica Groskopf is a regional economist with the University of Nebraska’s Extension program. She said private landowners should keep detailed records of their damages so they can accurately apply for multiple programs and sort their costs accordingly.
“Maintaining records of damages, expenses, livestock inventories, grazing records, photographs, receipts – all of that is extraordinarily important,” Groskopf said.
Groskopf said that can be taxing on landowners who have just experienced a life-altering disaster.
“That's really hard when you're coming out of a disaster, to make that, like, logical step of ‘Okay, these these items were donated to me, these items were purchased for this purpose, maybe I'll make another purchase later,’” Groskopf said. “Just trying to keep track of all of that really is one of the biggest challenges that producers have as they work to recover from this kind of an event.”
The Nebraska Emergency Management Agency released a statement of support following the announcement.
"This is an important step in helping Nebraska communities recover from the devastating wildfires, and NEMA will continue working with our local, state, and federal partners to support those impacted," NEMA Marketing and Communications Specialist Katrina Cerveny said in a statement.