WASHINGTON, DC - With wildfire smoke continuing to roll across the West, all eyes are on California as the state begins implementing recovery efforts. President Joe Biden signed a declaration in hopes of advancing those efforts through federal emergency aid. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that the aid will supplement state, tribal, and local recovery efforts in areas affected by wildfires beginning on July 14, 2021, and continuing.

According to a statement released by FEMA, President Biden’s action to make federal funding available will support affected individuals in Lassen, Nevada, Placer, and Plumas counties. This support can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of wildfire.

As the state begins implementing these federal aid efforts, Andrew Grant has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for response operations for the affected area. Additional designations may be made later if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further assessments.

Federal funding has also been made available to state, tribal, eligible local governments, and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis, for emergency protective measures, limited to direct federal assistance, in the counties mentioned above. Federal funding is available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

Individuals and business owners who sustained losses in the designated areas can begin applying for assistance by registering here.

We will continue to keep you informed as wildfire recovery efforts across California get underway.

Federal Emergency Management Agency