– Brutal summer shattering temperature records affecting a third of Americans
– States seeking more federal aid for heat waves and wildfire smoke emergencies
– FEMA not explicitly listing heat waves and smoke as major disasters, making it difficult for states to access funds
– Pressure mounting on FEMA to treat heat waves and wildfire smoke as major disasters
– Difficulty in determining financial losses from heat and smoke events
– Some states struggling to use existing funds for relief efforts
– Calls for FEMA to amend rules to recognize extreme heat and wildfire smoke as major disasters
– Lawmakers introducing a bill to expand FEMA’s response to these events
– Debate over FEMA’s funding for mitigation efforts in light of increasing disasters due to climate change
– Potential for long-term solutions to mitigate harm from heat and smoke events with major disaster funding.