New Mexicans affected by last year's devastating wildfire season may now have easier access to legal assistance, as New Mexico Legal Aid receives a grant of nearly $2 million.
The grant comes from the publicly funded nonprofit the Legal Services Corporation which announced on Monday, Aug. 14 that it was directing the money to help low-income New Mexicans who survived the fires and subsequent floods of 2022.
After the state's largest recorded wildfire destroyed hundreds of homes last year, Congress passed legislation promising compensation to those affected because the fires began as planned burns by the U.S. Forest Service, which got out of control.
But while nearly $4 billion were appropriated for the compensation process, the amount disbursed so far is about $14 million. Many frustrated residents are seeking legal help to try to navigate the tangle of bureaucracy and claim what they are owed.
The Legal Services Corporation President Ron Flagg said in a statement yesterday that, “legal aid providers are integral in helping low-income families access vital services and resources that set them on the path to recovery.”
According to the statement, New Mexico Legal Aid will use the money to hire two project attorneys who will conduct outreach to people who live in remote areas. Also, the organization will work to raise awareness of free legal services and education, and will conduct on-site legal aid clinics.
