---
kind: "section"
citation: "44 C.F.R. § 204.21"
title: "44"
number: "204.21"
heading: "Fire management assistance declaration criteria."
url: "https://uscodex.org/cfr/44/204.21"
---

# §204.21. Fire management assistance declaration criteria.

- (a) **Determinations.** FEMA will approve declarations for fire management assistance when the Administrator determines that a fire or fire complex on public or private forest land or grassland threatens such destruction as would constitute a major disaster.
- (b) **Evaluation criteria.** FEMA will evaluate the threat posed by a fire or fire complex based on consideration of the following specific criteria:
  - (1) Threat to lives and improved property, including threats to critical facilities/infrastructure, and critical watershed areas;
  - (2) Availability of State and local firefighting resources;
  - (3) High fire danger conditions, as indicated by nationally accepted indices such as the National Fire Danger Ratings System;
  - (4) **Potential major economic impact.**

## Notes

### Amendments

[66 FR 57347, Nov. 14, 2001, as amended at 75 FR 50715, Aug. 17, 2010; 79 FR 63546, Oct. 24, 2014]

### Authority

Authority: 42 U.S.C. 5121 through 5207; 6 U.S.C. 101 et seq.; Department of Homeland Security Delegation 9001.1.

### Source

Source: 66 FR 57347, Nov. 14, 2001, unless otherwise noted.

### Amendments

[66 FR 57347, Nov. 14, 2001, as amended at 75 FR 50715, Aug. 17, 2010; 79 FR 63546, Oct. 24, 2014]