HEBER-OVERGAARD — Gov. Katie Hobbs has decided not to issue a state of emergency for Heber-Overgaard after an EF1 tornado tore through the northern Arizona community last week, drawing pushback from the area’s state lawmaker, KTAR News reported.
State forestry and corrections crews were sent to help with the immediate response and debris removal, but officials confirmed Sunday that the community will not receive additional state assistance for long-term recovery.
Republican state Rep. Walt Blackman, whose district includes Navajo County, appealed publicly to the governor on X, writing that “an initial response is not the same as long-term recovery” and that an emergency declaration could unlock recovery funding, help pay for debris removal and open a path to federal aid.
Under Arizona’s emergency management rules, a state declaration can free up additional money for recovery, though federal help still requires a separate federal review and is not guaranteed.
The tornado struck the community of about 3,000 people, roughly 140 miles northeast of Phoenix, snapping trees, damaging homes and cutting power to more than 1,200 customers. At least one minor injury was reported.
Sources: KTAR News. Thee Arizona Times uses AI-assisted reporting reviewed against the sources listed.
Photo: Jedijoe82 / CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
