Biden approves Oregon disaster aid after 2024 wildfires

President Joe Biden approved a major disaster declaration for Oregon on January 1, 2025, after wildfires damaged parts of the state from July 10 to August 23, 2024. The declaration made federal public-assistance funding available for emergency work and repair or replacement of damaged facilities in Gilliam, Grant, Umatilla, Wasco, and Wheeler Counties. It also made statewide hazard-mitigation funding available. The action mattered because Oregon’s 2024 wildfire season strained state, tribal, and local response systems, and public-assistance declarations help governments and eligible nonprofits rebuild facilities, cover emergency work, and reduce future disaster risk.