Jacob Knutson
The federal government’s disaster relief fund is on pace to run out of money at the height of both the hurricane and wildfire seasons, a top official warned this week.
Why it matters: Government funding emergencies aren’t new, but the climate crisis has sent the number of costly natural disasters soaring, stretching the Federal Emergency Management Agency thin at the worst time of year.
What they’re saying: “We can no longer speak of a ‘disaster season’ — we now face intensified natural disasters throughout the year, often in places that are not used to experiencing them,” FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell told a House subcommittee Thursday.
The big picture: The U.S. has experienced 12 weather and climate disasters so far this year, killing 100 people and each causing losses over $1 billion,according to the National Centers for Environmental Information.
Zoom in: FEMA’s disaster fund is projected to fall into the red in late August because of tens of billions of dollars already committed to prior disasters, as well as anticipated costs for disasters that may strike this year.
How it works: FEMA’s multibillion-dollar disaster relief fund is one of the primary ways the federal government helps state, local, tribal and territorial governments respond to events that are declared emergencies by the president.
Hurricane season has been relatively quiet so far this year.
Yes, but: It is still projected to be an above-average season due to record warm temperatures across the Atlantic Ocean, Axios’ Carlie Kollath Wells and Jay R. Jordan report.
What’s next: FEMA is working with the White House to ensure that it will “always have the funding available to respond to events like we just saw in Vermont,” Criswell said.
Courtesy: (Axios)
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