44 CFR 204.21: Fire management assistance declaration criteria.

(a) Determinations. FEMA will approve declarations for fire management assistance when the Administrator determines that a fire or fire complex on public or private forest land or grassland threatens such destruction as would constitute a major disaster.

(b) Evaluation criteria. FEMA will evaluate the threat posed by a fire or fire complex based on consideration of the following specific criteria:

(1) Threat to lives and improved property, including threats to critical facilities/infrastructure, and critical watershed areas;

(2) Availability of State and local firefighting resources;

(3) High fire danger conditions, as indicated by nationally accepted indices such as the National Fire Danger Ratings System;

(4) Potential major economic impact.