Warnock pushes for wildfire relief after touring Brantley County damage

BRANTLEY COUNTY, Ga. (WTOC) - Sen. Raphael Warnock surveyed wildfire damage in Brantley County on Monday and said he is focused on getting resources to people who have lost homes, businesses or other property.

Warnock said getting Homeland Security funded will be key to quick disbursement of aid. The agency has been partially shut down for 73 days, though a bill to fund it has passed the Senate.

“It is now with the Speaker of the House. He oughta put that bill on the floor and pass Homeland Security, because FEMA is a part of that,” Warnock said. “These natural disasters remind us that Mother Nature is not waiting on politicians to get their act together.”

Less than three months after Hurricane Helene, Warnock helped secure over $500 million in federal disaster relief for Georgia farmers, but the money wasn’t dispersed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for over a year.

Last week, FEMA authorized grants that would reimburse costs to Georgia to fight fires across the state, including in Brantley County. There is no federal relief available beyond that.