Overview
- FEMA denied Arizona’s appeal for a Major Disaster Declaration on July 15, saying the September 2025 floods were not of the severity and magnitude that warrant a federal declaration.
- The September floods killed three people, created a hazardous materials emergency when about 1,000 propane tanks floated free, and left a final local damage estimate near $96 million.
- With only the state emergency in effect, state officials expect to cover about 75% of eligible rebuilding costs while a federal declaration would have raised that share to about 90%, leaving a larger local funding gap.
- City and state officials spent months compiling evidence and hosted two FEMA site visits and a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers survey, and city leaders say there is no further administrative appeal available.
- Local recovery and mitigation work is continuing, including a nearly finished $21 million USDA project on Pinal Creek, and officials say they will pursue other state and federal programs while homeowners and businesses cope with underinsurance.