Northern Nevada To Get $2.3 Million For Firefighting Costs

RENO, Nev. (AP) -- The Nevada Division of Forestry will receive $2.3 million in federal disaster funds to help cover costs of fighting the destructive Waterfall wildfire at Carson City this summer, federal officials said Thursday.

The money was approved by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency.

``The Waterfall Fire consumed at least 15 homes and nearly 9,000 acres of timber and brush,'' said Karen E. Armes, acting regional director for FEMA Region IX.

``Thanks to the excellent firefighting effort, the disaster was prevented from expanding to the more populated areas of Carson City,'' she said.

Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., said the money was made available after President Bush issued a presidential disaster declaration for the area.

``Our firefighters did an outstanding job in courageously battling the fire and preventing it from spreading. However, fighting such an extensive fire comes at a great financial cost,'' Gibbons said.

``Thanks to President Bush's expeditious declaration of the Waterfall Fire as a presidential disaster, FEMA funding will help Carson City and the State of Nevada pay for the costs associated with putting fighting the fire.''