The roots of a tree felled by high winds lifted a car into the air in Millcreek on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020. On Wednesday, Jan. 13, the Federal Emergency Management Agency announced President Donald Trump signed a major disaster declaration on Jan. 12 for the damage done during the storm. Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
Amy Donaldson
By Amy Donaldson

SALT LAKE CITY — President Donald Trump has signed a major disaster declaration for Utahns, the third involving disasters that occurred in 2020.

On Wednesday, the Federal Emergency Management Agency announced the president signed a major disaster declaration on Tuesday for the damage done by a windstorm on Sept. 7 and 8 that impacted northern Utah. The declaration means FEMA funds will be available to entities in Salt Lake, Davis, Weber and Morgan counties.

The storm, which included gusts of up to 100 miles per hour, tipped over semitractor-trailers, ripped trees from the ground, damaged buildings and knocked out power to the homes of 180,000 Utahns. Some people were without power for more than a week because the damage was so extensive.

“We appreciate the support of FEMA and the president in approving this latest disaster declaration for Utah,” said Kris Hamlet, Utah Division of Emergency Management director. “We’ve been very busy this past year responding to numerous emergencies and disasters, but now is the time to move forward with recovery and mitigation efforts. The resources provided under this declaration will help those areas impacted the most to be able to offset costs incurred to respond to the windstorm, and in some cases to implement mitigation efforts to minimize future impacts from such an event.” 

The division will work closely with FEMA and the counties to administer the funds that are available under the newest declaration.

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The other emergency declarations were for the 5.7 magnitude earthquake that struck March 18 near Magna, badly damaging businesses and homes, as well as the ongoing emergency declaration for the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Trees that were damaged by high winds on the grounds of the at the Capitol in Salt Lake City are pictured on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
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Dave Stroud, daughter Ronnie and son Zak look over a tree that was felled by high winds at their home in the Avenues of Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
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Dave Stroud and his daughter Ronnie look over their tree damage due to high wind at their home in the avenues in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
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A power pole that was snapped by high winds in the Avenues in Salt Lake City is pictured on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
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A large tree rests on two cars in the Avenues in Salt Lake City after it was toppled by high winds on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
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Olivia Babcock pulls a branch from the street after wind toppled trees in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
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A tree that was toppled by high winds in Salt Lake City is pictured on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
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The windshield of a car that was damaged by toppled trees in Salt Lake City is pictured on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
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A tree that was felled by high winds rests on a car in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
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Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
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Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
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The trunk of a large tree is all that is left after high winds toppled several of the trees in front of West High School in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020. Crews worked through the day sawing the broken trees and limbs for removal. | Steve Griffin, Deseret News
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Cylis DeLuna walks by a tree that was felled by high winds in Liberty Park in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
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Andrea Behrman surveys the damage after her car was lifted by the roots of a fallen tree outside her house in Millcreek when severe winds struck the Wasatch Front on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Brandon Allred takes a photo of a tree that was toppled by high winds, destroying a pergola at Liberty Park in Salt Lake City, on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
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Whaley Webster stands under a tree in Liberty Park in Salt Lake City that was felled during a windstorm on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
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Alex Keele skateboards off of a fallen tree trunk onto a section of sidewalk that was raised when the tree fell during a windstorm in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
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Crews clear trees blocking the street at 1700 East and Hillcrest Avenue in Salt Lake City after severe winds struck the Wasatch Front on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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A large tree blocks 1500 East at 1300 South after it was toppled by high winds in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020. | Steve Griffin, Deseret News
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Pine trees toppled by high winds lay in a row in Sunnyside Park in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020. | Steve Griffin, Deseret News
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A large tree that was cut into pieces after being felled by high winds near 1700 East and Yale Avenue in Salt Lake City is pictured on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020. | Steve Griffin, Deseret News
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A fence that was damaged by high winds on 1500 East near 1000 South in Salt Lake City is pictured on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020. | Steve Griffin, Deseret News
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Nick Lee does a flip turn on his skateboard off a large piece of sidewalk that was lifted up after high winds toppled a large tree on 1500 East and 1300 South in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020. | Steve Griffin, Deseret News
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Joe Booth cuts the limbs off of a tree that fell on his house after high winds in the Avenues in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
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Joe Booth cuts the limbs off of a tree that fell on his house after high winds in the Avenues in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
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A home damaged from a tree that was toppled by high winds in the Avenues in Salt Lake City is pictured on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
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A semi is towed after rolling on I-15 after high winds toppled it in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
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Collin Stanley cuts branches from a tree that was snapped by high winds in his Salt Lake neighborhood on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
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Crews remove downed trees at the Governor's Mansion in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020, after they were toppled by high winds. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
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Trees at Granite are toppled from high winds in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
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Trees lay across 900 West and 800 North in Salt Lake City after being toppled by high winds on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
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A large tree rests on two cars in the Avenues in Salt Lake City after it was toppled by high winds on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
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Michael Montoya, Jorge Guzman and Eric Starkey and Isaac Perry move a piece of a tree that fell on Perry’s car during a windstorm in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
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A tree that was felled by high winds rests on a car in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
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Nate Simpson walks by a fence that fell down in his backyard during a windstorm in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
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Haylee Chaffee walks by a fence that fell down in her backyard during a windstorm in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
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Anna Edler leans against an uprooted patch of grass still attached to the roots of a tree that was felled by high winds in Liberty Park in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
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Elijah Counterman climbs on trees that were felled by high winds in Liberty Park in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
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Cylis DeLuna, right, helps his second cousin, Joshua Wheeler, off of a tree that was felled by high winds in Liberty Park in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
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