Trump Signs Major Disaster Declaration for Utah Wildfire and Flood Damage
President Trump on October 7 signed a major disaster declaration for Utah covering this summer's Cottonwood Fire and flooding and mudslides from July 13-24, the governor's office and FEMA announced on October 8.
Beaver and Piute counties are eligible for FEMA public assistance. A joint federal-state damage assessment put losses at at least $47 million. The July 19 flash flooding shut down Interstate 15 for nearly 12 hours and damaged Beaver City's municipal power and water systems.
Gov. Spencer Cox welcomed the declaration, saying it unlocks federal resources for rebuilding public infrastructure. Federal Coordinating Officer James R. Stephenson was appointed to oversee the recovery effort.
The declaration covers public facilities and infrastructure; officials said assessments of individual assistance needs were ongoing.
The post-fire flooding and mudslides stem from the burn scar: once vegetation is destroyed and heat bakes the surface into a water-repellent layer, monsoon rains falling on steep slopes carry mud, ash and debris down into the communities below. State emergency officials said federal aid will not only help repair damage but also reduce future risk, including stabilizing slopes and improving drainage before the next storm season, and it opens the door to hazard-mitigation grants aimed at lowering the burn area's long-term vulnerability.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 犹他州议会大厦（盐湖城），图片来源：Wikimedia Commons（CC BY-SA 3.0）
