FEMA Disaster Assistance in California: How Fire Survivors Can Apply

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If you’ve been impacted by the recent lightning-sparked wildfires burning in and around the Bay Area, you can now register for disaster-related financial assistance though the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in partnership with California’s Office of Emergency Services.

Grants are available for those impacted by the ongoing wildfires affecting Lake, Monterey, Napa, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Solano, Sonoma and Yolo counties — which have so far collectively forced at least 170,000 residents to evacuate and destroyed more than 1,200 homes and other buildings.

FEMA’s financial assistance can help cover expenses including rent, home repair or replacement and other needs — such as child care, medical and dental expenses.

Remember: This assistance is available for survivors of the California wildfires that began Aug. 14, not for pandemic-related needs.

How to Apply

To apply for disaster-related assistance through FEMA, it’s important to return to your home — as soon as Cal Fire and law enforcement officials say it’s safe to do so — document the damage and file any insurance claims as quickly as possible, according to Frank Mansell, a FEMA spokesperson based out of Oakland.

Mansell said most of FEMA’s activities can’t take place until insurance claims have been filed, and insurance companies may be able to provide funds for living expenses in the meantime.

“Pretty much every insurance policy, both renter and homeowners, in California comes with an alternate living expense (policy), which means that once you file with your insurance company, they will advance you money for living expenses in very short order that will help tide you over while the application is going through FEMA,” Mansell said.

Here is a checklist of what to do if you plan to apply for FEMA assistance:

• First, check out KQED’s post-disaster checklist after you’ve been given the all clear to ensure you’re returning home safely
• Once you’ve returned home, take photographs and video of the damage. Keep all receipts related to home repair
• File a claim for the damage through your insurance company. Your insurance claim needs to be settled first because FEMA can’t duplicate assistance coming from other sources
• If you’ve experienced losses that aren’t covered by your insurance, whether it be completely or partially, apply for assistance though FEMA online. You can also download the FEMA app available for iOS and Android, or call (800) 621-3362 (TTY 800-462-7585)
• Be prepared to provide FEMA with the following information: your social security number, insurance policy information, address of the damaged primary dwelling, a description of damage and losses, current mailing address and phone number, total household annual income and the routing and account numbers of your bank account
• You may be contacted to undergo a remote inspection process — more on that below
• Make an online account with FEMA to check the status of your application, view messages and update your personal information, if needed. You should also upload important documents online, or mail them to FEMA at P.O. Box 10055, Hyattsville, Maryland, 20782 or fax them to (800) 827-8112

Remote Inspection Process

Due to the pandemic, FEMA has been conducting disaster-related home inspections over the phone since mid-March.

If you can’t safely live in your home, someone from FEMA will call you to schedule a remote inspection. FEMA can provide translation and ASL interpreters for applicants who need it.

“It’s our experience that we’ve done so many inspections based on … other previous cases, we can get pretty good at assessing damage remotely. So it should save some time,” Mansell said.

You can expect the inspector to ask you a series of identification questions and request that you describe the damage in detail over the phone. They may also ask for additional photos of the damage. If there’s still more information needed after the call, FEMA may send an inspector to look at the property in person.

If your home has suffered minimal enough damage that you can still live in it, FEMA may or may not request a remote inspection.

Remote inspections aren’t required for other types of FEMA grants that cover child care, transportation, medical, dental, funeral expenses, moving and storage assistance.

Here is more information from FEMA about the remote inspection process.

Need Additional Help?

If you have any questions, contact the FEMA helpline at (800) 621-3362 (TTY 800-462-7585). If you use 711 or Video Relay Service, call (800) 621-3362.

Customer service representatives from the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Virtual Disaster Loan Outreach Center can help business owners and individuals with questions about SBA’s disaster loan program at FOCWAssistance@sba.gov or (916) 735-1500.

If you don’t agree with FEMA’s decision regarding your application, you have 60 days from the date on FEMA’s determination letter to submit an appeal with additional information or documentation. If you’re insured, you have up to a year to appeal and to provide an insurance determination letter.