""It's a perfect storm for devastation," says Tanya Harlow, wildfire resilience officer for El Dorado County, where Placerville is located."
"Emergency managers from several states say the backlog in funding is having ripple effects through communities, stressing local budgets and delaying or potentially derailing disaster projects that have taken years to plan."
"FEMA owes communities almost $10 billion, according to internal agency documents obtained by NPR."
"Under the Trump administration, disaster funding payments have slowed to a trickle, delaying crucial projects that could help communities withstand wildfires, hurricanes and floods."
Placerville, California, is at high risk for wildfires due to dense brush and older wooden homes. A pilot program aims to help residents make their homes more fire-resistant with financial support for building materials and brush clearance. However, the project has been stalled for over a year, awaiting approval from FEMA, which is experiencing a backlog of nearly $10 billion in disaster funding. This delay is causing frustration among local officials and jeopardizing crucial disaster preparedness projects.
Read at www.npr.org
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