SANTA FE – Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Thursday announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has granted her request to include flooding impacts in New Mexico’s disaster declaration for counties affected by wildfires, making additional assistance available for affected New Mexicans.

The announcement comes after the governor requested that President Joe Biden direct FEMA to act on the state’s request to expand New Mexico’s Major Disaster Declaration. As a result of the governor’s advocacy, the state’s disaster declaration will now include flooding, mudflows, and debris flows related to wildfires in the designated counties.

“As flash flooding continues to threaten New Mexicans in wildfire burn scars in Lincoln, Mora, and San Miguel counties, I am grateful to President Biden and FEMA for granting my request to include flooding in New Mexico’s disaster declaration,” said Gov. Lujan Grisham. “This action will make additional support available for New Mexicans who have already suffered great losses this year. I will keep fighting for every available measure of support for New Mexico families that have been so terribly impacted by wildfires.”

The inclusion of flooding impacts in the state’s federal disaster declaration enables qualifying New Mexicans who have suffered damages or losses due to flooding, mudflows, and debris flows in wildfire burn scars to receive assistance from FEMA. Those who have already registered for FEMA assistance due to wildfire losses do not need to re-register and will be contacted by FEMA to request additional information about flooding impacts.

The expansion of the federal disaster declaration follows the announcement earlier this week that Gov. Lujan Grisham secured additional federal housing assistance for New Mexicans affected by wildfires. The commencement of the assistance program comes after the governor requested that President Biden direct FEMA to approve the state’s outstanding request for additional housing support, following the president approving the governor’s request for a Presidential Disaster Declaration for counties affected by wildfires in May.

The state has remaining outstanding requests to FEMA regarding adding Los Alamos and Sandoval counties to the disaster declaration, as well as extending the duration of New Mexico’s disaster declaration, continuing to cover 100% of the total eligible costs under the extended duration of the disaster declaration, the retroactive extension of the use of Non-Congregate Sheltering, and expediting the removal of debris and hazardous waste.