The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has denied a grant request intended to help families affected by the Aspen Acres and Gold Mountain fires in Pueblo and Custer counties.
The federal government approved Colorado's Major Disaster Declaration for other requests, Democratic Gov. Jared Polis' office said in a release Friday, but FEMA denied the Individual Assistance and Hazard Mitigation Grant Program portions.
Individual Assistance would have provided direct assistance to people in Pueblo and Custer counties, including for temporary housing assistance and to help rebuild homes. Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funding helps communities that are rebuilding, and the governor's office said denying those funds could leave communities more exposed to future events.
Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Colorado did receive approval for a public assistance program to support repair of critical infrastructure damage as well as debris cleanup on public and private property. The release said coordination has already begun on that work among state and local governments.
"The recent approval of Colorado's Major Disaster Declaration request was the important first ste...