Palmetto State News

U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham and Congressman Russell Fry, both representing South Carolina, have announced the approval of a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) for the state. The grant was initially denied by FEMA but has since been reversed following efforts by the officials to address the decision.

The FMAG provides a federal cost share of 75%, with the state covering the remaining 25% of actual costs. A significant portion of this grant will be allocated to cover firefighting expenses incurred during efforts to manage the Carolina Forest wildfire.

Senator Graham and Congressman Fry expressed their satisfaction with FEMA's reversal: "We are very pleased that the initial decision to deny a Fire Management Assistance Grant for South Carolina has been reversed. We had been working with state and local officials to rectify the initial denial."

The wildfire has caused substantial smoke damage in surrounding communities and negatively impacted tourism in Myrtle Beach. Despite these challenges, there were no reported losses of life or homes destroyed. "The economic impact is real even though there was no loss of life or destruction of homes," they noted.

Graham and Fry acknowledged the contributions of firefighters from across South Carolina: "We remain very grateful to the men and women of the firefighting services who came from all across our state and saved countless homes by putting themselves between the fire and the property."

They also commended community efforts during this crisis, stating, "The way the community has come together in this time of significant need is an example of what makes America truly great."