President Obama Signs Federal Disaster Declaration for Bastrop County

White House officials say President Barack Obama has signed a federal disaster declaration for Texas in the wake of wildfires in the state. The move allows federal funding to be made available to individuals in Bastrop County in the central part of the state.

The federal aid will supplement state and local recovery efforts. Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses and other programs. Some residents left homeless by a massive wildfire that has burned almost a week in and around the city Bastrop have voiced frustration over a perceived delay in federal response. The blaze has destroyed nearly 1,400 homes.