Colorado’s 10 U.S. senators and representatives sent a letter to President Donald Trump on Monday, asking him to declare a disaster following pair of wildfires that burned in the northwestern part of the state last month.

Under the Stafford Act of 1988, a state’s governor can request a presidential major disaster declaration if the state doesn’t have the capacity to of handle disaster response and recovery on its own.

Once a request is made, FEMA conducts a preliminary damage assessment to estimate the scope and cost of the disaster. If the state meets certain criteria, it would be approved for either an emergency declaration or a major disaster declaration and FEMA will be authorized to provide assistance for things like temporary housing, infrastructure repair, and debris removal.

Last week, Gov. Jared Polis also sent the administration and FEMA a letter asking for the declaration, which would unlock additional funding to support recovery efforts from the Elk and Lee fires in Rio Blanco County.

In their letter, Colorado’s Congressional delegation stressed that the fires and ensuing debris and mud flows destroyed homes, buildings, transportation infrastructure, and nearly 200,000 acres of land.

“Successful recovery is essential to restoring the county’s economy, which depends on oil and gas, agriculture, outdoor recreation, and hunting and fishing,” the lawmakers wrote. “Without additional support, residents could face increased electricity costs, oil and gas production could slow, and important habitat and grazing lands could be lost. In addition, residents face ongoing hazards from the fire, including debris, burned trees, and threats to water quality and drinking water infrastructure.”

In early August, Polis declared a disaster emergency for the fires, authorized the deployment of the Colorado National Guard, and unlocked nearly $20 million in federal Fire Management Assistance Grants for response and recovery efforts.

However, lawmakers said additional funding is needed, as the total damages from the fires are estimated at over $27 million.