 On September 7, 2011, President Barack Obama personally telephoned Perry to discuss the fires.That same day, the White House issued a formal statement, saying that "Over the last several days, at the request of the Governor, the Administration has granted eight Fire Management Assistance Grants, making federal funds available to reimburse eligible costs associated with efforts to combat the fires.FEMA is actively working with state and local officials to conduct damage assessments and to identify areas where additional federal assistance may be warranted."