Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin announced on May 4 that Dewey County may now receive disaster assistance from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) as a result of wildfires that occurred April 11-20.
The designation provides SBA low-interest disaster loans for homeowners and business owners in Dewey County to replace any property damaged by the fires that was not covered by insurance or other assistance programs. The loan program is also available to assist businesses that sustained economic injury due to the storm.
Under SBA rules, the contiguous counties of Blaine, Custer, Ellis, Roger Mills, and Woodward are also eligible for assistance.
The state requested the SBA declaration for Dewey County on May 2 after damage assessments found more than 70 homes and businesses affected by the fires. Of those, 27 homes and businesses with major damage were identified as uninsured, and may be eligible for SBA’s program.
Two deaths and multiple injuries were attributed to numerous wildfires that burned more than 350,000 acres statewide in April.
Source: ok.gov