July 2, 2026
Contact: Delanie Edmunds
(208) 258-6585
delanie.edmunds@imd.idaho.gov

President Trump Approves Disaster Declaration for Idaho

BOISE, ID – President Donald Trump has approved the State of Idaho’s Major Disaster Declaration to help six Idaho counties and areas affected by damaging winds followed by intense rainfall from an atmospheric river which caused catastrophic flooding, landslides, and debris runoff.

President Trump called Governor Little Tuesday to inform him of the approval and posted an update to Truth Social shortly after.

The counties covered in the Presidential Disaster Declaration include Benewah, Bonner, Clearwater, Kootenai, Latah, and Nez Perce Counties. The March 11-15, 2026, storm event brought wind gusts from 58-99 mph across the region and ushered in a period of prolonged and intense rainfall leading to flooding, severe landslides and debris flows. A Joint Preliminary Damage Assessment conducted by Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Idaho Office of Emergency Management (IOEM), and local representatives in April confirmed the total damage across the counties surpassed $5.9 million.

“As North Idaho continues recovering from the devastating storm, this Presidential Disaster Declaration marks an important next step. It helps provide the resources our communities need to restore public infrastructure, support businesses, and maintain our high quality of life,” said Governor Brad Little.

The President’s approval authorizes the Public Assistance (PA) Program, meaning government departments and some private nonprofit businesses in the approved counties may apply for assistance to help with recovery efforts. IOEM will be working with potential applicants to submit a Request for Public Assistance (RPA) within the 30-day application deadline of July 30, 2026. The RPA is the first step to identify eligible applicants to the Public Assistance Program.

During the prolonged event, over 11,000 customers experienced power loss as winds snapped poles, toppled trees, and brought debris across power lines. The event also caused extensive road and facility damages as severe flooding and landslides resulted from heavy rainfall and supersaturated soils. State, local, and private non-profit agencies experienced extraordinary resource allocation to effectively respond to the effects of the storm event.

“The severe weather Northern Idaho faced damaged critical public infrastructure,” said IOEM Bureau Chief Ben Roeber. “This Presidential Declaration will help eligible communities recover from these damages. We will continue to work alongside our local partners and FEMA throughout this process.”

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The Idaho Office of Emergency Management is a Division of the Idaho Military Division. The services we provide are to facilitate emergency management in Idaho, and to assist neighboring states. The women and men of this Division are dedicated to their mission of protecting the lives and property of the people of Idaho, as well as preserving the environmental and the economic health of Idaho