15 December 2016, 22:34 GMT
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — US President Barack Obama declared a major disaster in the US state of Tennessee and ordered federal funding for state and local recovery efforts from a deadly wildfire, the White House said in a press release.
“The President today declared a major disaster exists in the State of Tennessee and ordered Federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area affected by wildfires during the period of November 28 to December 9, 2016,” the release stated on Thursday.
Federal assistance includes grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to aid people and businesses recover from damaged caused by the wildfire, the release noted.
The wildfire spread from the Great Smoky Mountains to inhabited areas, killing 14 people, and forcing authorities to evacuate more than 14,000 residents and visitors from the town of Gatlinburg affected by the fire.
