The Pacific Northwest (PNW) Conference of The United Methodist Church has received a $275,000 grant from the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) to support long-term recovery efforts for survivors of the devastating wildfires that struck the Medical Lake and Elk communities in eastern Washington in August 2023. An additional $25,000 in matching funds from the PNW Conference brings the total investment in survivor recovery to $300,000.
This significant grant will support the work of the Spokane Region Long Term Recovery Group (SRLTRG), enabling the hiring and training of three Disaster Case Managers (DCMs) to assist uninsured and underinsured households impacted by the fires. UMCOR’s nationally respected Disaster Case Management training program will prepare these case managers to conduct in-depth historical reviews of survivor needs and to connect families with new state and federal funding opportunities.
“UMCOR Disaster Case Management training, services, and unmet needs funding needs to continue for the survivor households,” said Kathy Bryson, PNW Conference Disaster Response Coordinator. “Many of those survivors are still struggling to clean their property of toxic debris, rebuild their homes, or generally accomplish their recovery goals.”
Rev. Sandy Ward and her husband, Paul, staffing the Disaster Assistance Center to provide resources for the Elk and Medical Lake wildfire survivors. 
Photo from the Medical Lake wildfire area. 
Hygiene kits in the making by congregants from Covenant UMC in Spokane. 
Photo from the Medical Lake wildfire area.
The wildfires that ravaged Spokane County on August 18, 2023, destroyed over 700 structures, including 366 primary homes, and caused more than $150 million in property losses. More than 1,100 individuals were directly affected.
On February 15, 2024, six months after the wildfires, the federal government approved Washington State’s disaster declaration (DR-4759-WA). In that request, UMCOR was cited among the faith-based organizations already providing critical aid to approximately 300 individuals. That early response underscored UMCOR’s trusted role in disaster recovery and laid the foundation for this expanded grant-supported work.
Recent funding from the Washington State Department of Commerce and a pending $44 million federal disaster recovery grant are expected to support debris cleanup and fire mitigation, but these resources require capable case management to most effectively support the survivors. The SRLTRG’s decision to partner with UMCOR-trained case managers represents a commitment to high-quality, survivor-centered recovery work. “This grant serves as a spark plug,” Bryson said. “It helps us leverage additional funding and partnerships beyond the initial grant period.”
UMCOR’s earlier $10,000 Solidarity Grant helped jumpstart the response immediately after the wildfires, supporting the work of United Methodist Church volunteers, Early Response Team members and the distribution of hygiene and cleaning kits. With the new grant, the PNW Conference and its partners will continue to walk alongside survivors, helping them navigate a difficult and lengthy recovery journey.
