Politics
Heber-Overgaard recovery aid in question after Hobbs rejects emergency declaration
Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs has declined to declare a state of emergency for Heber-Overgaard after an EF1 tornado damaged homes, felled trees and cut power to more than 1,200 customers. State Rep. Walt Blackman is asking her to reconsider, arguing that emergency status could help support longer-term recovery.
Gov. Katie Hobbs has declined to declare a state of emergency for Heber-Overgaard after an EF1 tornado struck the northern Arizona community, leaving local leaders pressing for more state support as residents face recovery work.
State Rep. Walt Blackman, whose district includes the area, urged Hobbs on social media to reconsider. “An initial response is not the same as long-term recovery,” Blackman wrote, while thanking crews assisting the community. He said an emergency declaration could help fund recovery and debris removal and create a path to federal aid.
The tornado hit Wednesday. The National Weather Service confirmed Saturday, after surveying the area, that the storm was an EF1 tornado. It damaged homes, snapped trees and knocked out power to more than 1,200 customers in Heber-Overgaard, a community of about 3,000 people roughly 140 miles northeast of Phoenix. At least one minor injury was reported.
State Department of Forestry and Corrections crews have reportedly been deployed to help with the initial response and debris clearance. Officials said Sunday, however, that the area would not receive additional state assistance for long-term recovery.
A state emergency declaration can open access to additional recovery funding, according to Arizona emergency management guidance. It does not guarantee federal assistance, which remains subject to federal review.