The agency works directly with affected communities and local partners to help restore and strengthen their pre-disaster capacities.

Red Cross workers had to travel by riverboat to bring aid to the most affected communities, due to the poor state of the roads.

The report calls on Placer Dome to complete an environmental clean-up, adequately compensate affected communities, and take steps to prevent future disasters.

The community competencies (education, culture and social welfare) there, are exercised by the two affected institutional communities.

Since then, several "smoke control" areas have been designated in the worst affected communities, which tend to be working-class neighborhoods with large public housing complexes.

Meanwhile, the affected communities have been given briefings on the planned route.

He asked Congress for nearly $1.6 billion more to aid affected communities and to try to prevent future blazes.

The declaration allowed federal assistance to reach affected communities in the United States Commonwealth.

They praised Congress for making the change, which they estimated would save the state and its affected communities at least $775 million.

"I don't think people should panic or move out of this community or from the other two affected communities," Mr. Olive said.