Temperatures soared across the country this summer and thermometers reached — and stayed at — triple digits throughout the Southwest. Wildfires continue to rage in California and other western states, clouding the skies and exposing millions of Americans to harmful air pollution from smoke.
As heat deaths rise and smoke clouds choke communities, a growing chorus of local governments and environmental groups are urging the federal government to recognize extreme heat and wildfire smoke as major disasters.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency recognizes as ‘major disasters’ catastrophes like hurricanes, tornadoes, storms, earthquakes, wildfires and flooding. Under the Stafford Act, FEMA and the president can provide funding and resources for state and local governments to address natural catastrophes.
However, extreme heat and smoke are not included in the list, so state and local governments cannot benefit from the resources offered under the act.
Tucson Mayor Regina Romero wrote a letter, co-signed by 16 mayors from Arizona, California, Texas and other states nationwide, urging FEMA to amend its regulatory definition for major disasters .
“Extreme heat is the silent killer,” Romero said. “It kills more people than floods and hurricanes combined. So we’ve got to update FEMA in its rulemaking in how to deal with our new reality because of climate change.”
Heat kills more people than any other extreme weather event. There were 645 heat-related deaths in Maricopa County in 2023, the most-ever recorded and a 52% increase from 2022. In Pima County, there were 176 heat-related deaths. Most of those deaths occurred on days the National Weather Service had issued an excessive heat warning.
Exposure to wildfire smoke increases the risk of stroke, heart and respiratory diseases, lung cancer and early death. From coast to coast, Americans have walked outside to orange, smoke-filled skies, like New York City in 2023, San Francisco in 2020, and, most recently, Los Angeles and Las Vegas.
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes and 14 other attorneys general have also petitioned FEMA , alongside environmental groups like the Center for Biological Diversity, labor groups and public health officials.
“I think what we’ve seen just in the letters that have been sent to FEMA, there is a real need for federal assistance,” said Gaby Sarri-Tobar, an energy justice campaigner for the Center for Biological Diversity. “State and local governments are resource-strapped and need FEMA’s help.”
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How can FEMA respond to natural catastrophes?
When Hurricane Katrina flooded Louisiana in 2005, and the 2020 wildfires ravaged California, FEMA stepped in to offer billions of dollars in federal assistance.
FEMA was created during President Jimmy Carter’s administration in 1979, just in time for the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens. This was the first time the federal government provided monetary disaster assistance, helping Washington and other parts of the West recover.
Under the Stafford Act, the president can declare an event an emergency or a major disaster. An emergency declaration has a narrow scope of assistance when an unexpected event necessitates an immediate response from routine resources like local police, fire and emergency medical services.
Federal assistance for emergencies can supplement state, local or tribal governments' efforts to provide emergency services, though it can't exceed $5 million without approval from Washington.
A major disaster is declared when an event surpasses local agencies’ capacity to respond, requiring outside assistance. The president will declare a disaster when the damage caused is deemed beyond the combined capabilities of state and local governments.
This distinction assists individuals and public infrastructure, like funds for emergency and long-term work.
Both situations typically cause significant risk to public health and safety or inflict extensive damage to property and infrastructure, but the severity varies. The governor or tribal authority of the affected areas must submit a request for assistance to the President for either declaration.
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Why are local governments and environmentalists seeking the distinction?
After record-breaking heat and ongoing wildfire activity across the country, local governments and environmentalists are urging FEMA to amend its regulations to recognize extreme heat and wildfire smoke as major disasters.
“When FEMA does not provide valuable services and funding for our communities, cities are left with having to figure out how to provide safety to our residents,” Romero said. “With climate change, we are seeing extreme heat throughout the Southwest and more wildfires throughout the country.”
FEMA made a similar allowance for the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, declaring the pandemic as both a national emergency and a major disaster.
Three requests to declare extreme heat as a major disaster have been denied in the past. Missouri requested two disaster declarations for heat and drought in 1980, Illinois for a heat wave in 1995, and California in 2022 for a heat dome and wildfire events across the state.
FEMA determined that the events were insignificant and that the agency evaluates distinct events and their impacts rather than seasonal or general atmospheric conditions.
Romero hopes federal assistance can better help Tucson protect vulnerable communities that are “hit first and worst,” like children, seniors, low-income communities, pregnant women, unsheltered individuals, outdoor workers and people with preexisting medical conditions.
“We have seen those stories. We have poor seniors who are on Social Security, and they have to choose between paying for food and their medication and paying their electricity, so they go without AC,” Romero said. “And then what happens? They are taken to the hospital, they’re sick or they die.”
She said the city already has to allocate budget funds for integral services like police, fire and park services, which creates competition for recovery and mitigation programs for heat and smoke.
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How will this distinction help Arizonans?
If FEMA adds extreme heat and wildfire smoke to its list of major disasters, local governments will be better able to protect Arizonans, who are especially vulnerable to these events.
“This year, everyone has been impacted by extreme heat in some way,” said Sarri-Tobar. “But there are certain places that are most vulnerable. States like California and Arizona were the hardest hit this summer.”
Tucson’s climate action plan outlines how the city will address extreme heat and air pollution to keep residents safe, which includes building community resilience hubs, cooling centers and weatherization on homes and buildings to make them more energy efficient and resilient to extreme weather.
Romero hopes FEMA funds could help with these plans to keep residents safe. They could also create community solar and microgrid installations to offset energy prices and ensure reliability during heatwaves.
“I’m hopeful that FEMA will respond,” Romero said. “It’s going to take all levels of government to be able to confront this new reality and make sure that our federal government is acting in the best interest of our communities.”
Hayleigh Evans writes about extreme weather and related topics for The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com . Email her with story tips at hayleigh.evans@arizonarepublic.com .
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: As heat and smoke imperil millions, advocates urge FEMA to free up disaster aid
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