Thursday, October 1, 2026
WENATCHEE — Gov. Bob Ferguson has temporarily suspended a range of state laws and regulations intended to make it easier for residents and businesses affected by wildfires to obtain financial assistance, maintain housing, replace documents and continue operating.
The emergency proclamation, signed Aug. 10, applies to Chelan, Douglas, Okanogan, Ferry, Spokane, Stevens and Yakima counties, along with the Yakama Nation, Colville Reservation and Spokane Tribe of Indians.
“My administration is laser-focused on assisting Washingtonians who have lost so much,” Ferguson said. “My emergency proclamation waives and suspends numerous state laws so that help can move quickly.”
Among the changes, uninsured residents who lost their homes may qualify for the state Individual Assistance Program regardless of household income. The state’s Family Emergency Assistance Program, normally limited to families with children, is also being opened to households without children affected by the fires.
Wildfire victims may access that family assistance monthly if needed rather than being restricted to once per year.
The proclamation also suspends the normal one-week waiting period for unemployment benefits for people who are out of work because of the fires and temporarily removes the requirement that recipients demonstrate they are actively searching for work.
The order temporarily limits some eviction actions in wildfire-affected communities.
For two weeks, landlords generally may not serve or act on eviction orders unless an immediate health or safety concern exists or a tenant previously received a full 90-day written notice that the property owner intended to occupy or sell the property.
Landlords also may not evict tenants for temporarily housing people or pets displaced by the fires.
The proclamation prevents landlords from treating homes as abandoned when residents were forced to leave because of wildfire conditions.
Residents who lost driver’s licenses, identification cards, birth certificates and other documents may obtain replacements without being charged fees.
The state Department of Licensing may also grant extensions to people unable to renew business or professional licenses on time because of the fires.
Health care rules were relaxed to give hospitals, pharmacies and other providers additional flexibility during the emergency.
The proclamation allows extensions for health care license renewals, relaxes some staffing and credentialing requirements and permits hospitals and pharmacies to operate at alternative locations when necessary.
It also temporarily removes some capacity and paperwork requirements for assisted living facilities and adult family homes receiving residents displaced by the fires.
Businesses affected by the wildfires will not face late fees if they are unable to file or pay second-quarter 2026 taxes on time because of the disaster.
Rules limiting truck-driver hours were also suspended for drivers transporting essential supplies to communities and firefighters, provided drivers receive adequate rest.
Ferguson directed state agencies to identify within 30 days additional statutes, regulations or building-code provisions that could be waived to speed rebuilding and permitting.
The Aug. 10 action follows Ferguson’s Aug. 1 statewide wildfire emergency declaration, which also imposed a statewide prohibition on most outdoor and agricultural burning through Sept. 30.
The federal government has separately approved an emergency declaration covering six Washington counties and three Tribal nations, including Chelan and Okanogan counties. That declaration provides assistance for emergency response costs but does not provide individual disaster assistance.
The state is preparing to seek a major disaster declaration from the federal government, which could unlock individual assistance, public assistance for damaged infrastructure and funding for future wildfire mitigation projects.
Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media
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