Wildfire-Stricken Areas Getting Money

AUSTIN – More than $5.8 million in state and federal grants is on its way to eligible Texans, just two weeks since the state requested, and received, a federal disaster declaration for the historic wildfires. Officials from the Texas Division of Emergency Management and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) say the money is headed toward eligible homeowners and renters in 13 Texas counties, including several in Northeast Texas. Those counties are Bastrop, Cass, Colorado, Gregg, Grimes, Houston, Leon, Marion, Montgomery, Travis, Walker, Waller and Williamson.

Officials say to date, nearly $4.7 million in Housing Assistance has been approved for Texans and nearly $726,000 in Other Needs Assistance (ONA). Almost $379,000 in Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) has been allocated for Texans whose jobs were lost or disrupted by wildfires. As of Friday, more than 3,000 Texas individuals and families had registered for that aid. Meanwhile, nearly 2,300 Texans had received answers to their questions about recovery programs or help with registering from specialists at six recovery centers in affected communities — and more centers are opening regularly.