Sacramento, California - California Governor's Office of Emergency Services Director Mark Ghilarducci today secured a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help ensure the availability of vital resources to suppress the Bluecut Fire burning in San Bernardino County. The FMAG also enables local, state and tribal agencies to recover eligible costs.

Thus far, the fire has burned approximately 5,500 acres, threatening areas near the Cajon Pass west of Interstate 15. Structures have been lost, several others are threatened and evacuations are underway. There is eminent threat to rail traffic, roads and structures in the Cajon Pass. There are an unknown number of structures damaged and destroyed.

Multiple fire strike teams from throughout Southern California have been committed.  Cal OES Fire and Southern Region personnel are currently responding in concert with other federal, state and local agencies to address emergency management and mutual aid needs for the incident. The historic statewide drought, high temperatures and high winds have made this the ideal environment for dangerous fire conditions.

The federal grant, which is provided through the President's Disaster Relief Fund on cost-share basis, will assist local, state and tribal agencies responding to the fire to apply for 75-percent reimbursement of their eligible fire suppression costs.