Rep. Neguse's Statement on East Troublesome Fire and Estes Park Evacuations

WASHINGTON, Oct. 24 -- Rep. Joseph Neguse, D-Colorado, issued the following news release:

As the East Troublesome Fire grows at an alarming rate, Congressman Neguse continues to work on the local, state, and federal level to address the needs of those being evacuated and others in the area. The East Troublesome Fire in Grand County, CO grew over 100,000 acres in a matter of hours on Wednesday night, now reaching a total of 125,602 acres burned, and is now the second largest wildfire in state history.

"Our thoughts and our prayers continue to be with the firefighters, first responders and law enforcement personnel whose brave efforts have helped safely evacuate many residents over the past 36 hours as the East Troublesome Fire grew at an unprecedented rate," said Congressman Neguse. "My office continues to work with both local and state officials to address these challenges, and we'll continue to monitor conditions closely and push for additional Federal resources. I also support Governor Jared Polis' decision to call upon the National Guard to assist the brave men and women at the front lines. We continue to keep in our thoughts all those impacted by the fire, as well as the four other fires our congressional district is currently experiencing -- Cameron Peak, Calwood, Williams Fork, and Lefthand Canyon. My team is available to any constituents who may need assistance."

The American Red Cross of Colorado has set up evacuation points at the following locations:

* Embassy Suites (4705 Clydesdale Pkwy., Loveland, CO 80538)

* Westminster City Park Rec Center (10455 Sheridan Blvd., Westminster, CO 80020)

* Isle of Capri (401 Main St., Black Hawk, CO 80422)

* Silverthorne Recreation Center (430 Rainbow Dr., Silverthorne, CO 80498)

The East Troublesome Fire was granted a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) from FEMA last week, ensuring FEMA is able to pay 75 percent of the state's eligible firefighting costs. It also provides additional funding through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program for post fire mitigation or wildfire related hazards, such as flooding. More information can on the FMAG can be found here: https://neguse.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-neguse-announces-fema-funds-to-fight-east-troublesome-fire

Congressman Neguse also encourages citizens to review the resources summarized in his office's Wildfire Resource Guide. This Resource Guide holds information about evacuation points and preparation, insurance recommendations, who to contact if federal documents are lost, and more. It is updated regularly, and can be found here: neguse.house.gov/wildfire.