Note: As of August 8, 2023, the Tunnel 5 Fire has not received a federal disaster declaration to make these resources available to those impacted.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is the primary federal agency tasked with helping individuals, businesses, and public entities recover after a disaster. You can check online to see if a disaster has been declared for a specific incident and if there is an active Disaster Recovery Center in your area.
A disaster declaration provides a number of programs to assist individuals, households and businesses, along with assistance for public agencies and selected non-profits that have participated in response efforts. If a disaster has been declared, families, volunteers, employers or employees facing challenges from fires should apply for FEMA assistance.
Apply for FEMA assistance:
Please have the following information available when you apply:
- A phone number and a reliable alternate in case FEMA needs to call you back
- Address of the damaged property
- Social Security number
- Bank account information (or direct deposit information)
- Insurance information (if you have insurance)
- Brief description of damages
- Current mailing address
- Pen and paper to write down your registration number
What does disaster assistance cover?
Government disaster assistance only covers basic needs and will not compensate you for your entire loss. If you have insurance, the government may help pay for basic needs not covered by your insurance policy.
Assistance may include:
- Rental payments for temporary housing for those whose homes are unlivable
- Grants for home repairs and replacement of essential household items
- Unemployment payments for workers who temporarily lost jobs because of the disaster and do not qualify for state benefits (self-employed)
- Low-interest loans to cover residential losses not fully compensated by insurance
- Crisis counseling for those traumatized by the disaster
- Advisory assistance for legal veterans’ benefits and social security matters
Do I have to register with FEMA to get help?
Yes, with very few exceptions, if you want federal assistance you must register with FEMA, either by telephone or online. You will need your FEMA registration number for future reference.
What is the difference between FEMA and the SBA?
FEMA coordinates the federal government’s role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters. SBA, on the other hand, is the Federal Government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property.
SBA helps homeowners, renters, businesses, and non-profit organizations repair or replace real estate, personal property, machinery and equipment, inventory, and business assets that have been damaged or destroyed in a declared disaster. The SBA disaster loans cover uninsured and uncompensated losses and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations.