Wildfire Resources - Marie Gluesenkamp Perez

Wildfire Updates

FEMA Disaster Assistance

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:

Call: (800) 621-FEMA (3362)
Visit: www.disasterassistance.gov

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.

Small Business Assistance

Agricultural Producer Assistance

Unemployment Assistance

Tax Relief

Insurance Information

Preparing Your Home for a Fire

Returning Home After a Fire

First and foremost, stay away from your home or business until fire officials tell you it is safe to return.
Be aware of and use caution around trees, power poles, and other tall objects or structures that may have lost stability during the fire. Most burned structures and surfaces will be unstable.
Do not drink or use water from the faucet until emergency officials say it is okay; water supply systems can be damaged and become polluted during wildfires or as a result of subsequent post-fire flooding. Keep up-to-date on drinking water alerts.
Discard any food that has been exposed to heat, smoke, flood waters, or soot.
If there is no power, check to make sure the main breaker is on. If the breakers are on and power is still not present, contact the utility company.
- If you have a propane tank or system, contact a propane supplier, turn off valves on the system, and leave valves closed until the supplier inspects your system.
- If you have a heating oil tank system, contact a heating oil supplier for an inspection of your system before you use it.
- If you have a solar electrical system, this system should be inspected by a licensed technician to verify that the solar panels and electrical wiring are safe for continued operation.

Once the danger has passed, if your property has been damaged due to fire or smoke, don’t wait to start the claim process by calling your insurance company or agent.
Before inspecting your home, check for the smell of gas. Turn off power until you’ve completed your inspection.
Start taking photos of the property and documenting what was lost. Protect from further damage by placing tarps on roofs or boarding up windows, but don’t begin repairs without contacting your insurance company.
In the aftermath of a disaster like a wildfire, public adjusters may contact you if you have suffered damage to your home. You are not required to hire a public adjuster, but if you do, make sure he or she is licensed and reputable.
- Public adjusters work on behalf of a consumer and often charge a percentage of the claim amount. The fee is agreed upon in the contract between the public adjuster and the consumer. This cost is not included in the claim amount paid by the insurer.
For more information on filing an insurance claim, visit the drop-down tab above.

Replacing Lost Documents

Legal Assistance

Food Assistance

Housing Assistance

Animal Rescue

Mental Health Resources

Avoiding Fraud

As disaster victims find themselves in vulnerable financial situations, they can be targets of scammers pretending to be government employees, creditors, mortgage servicers, insurance adjusters, and contractors.

FEMA scams:

In some cases, thieves try to apply for FEMA assistance using names, addresses and Social Security numbers they have stolen from survivors. If a FEMA housing inspector contacts you or comes to your property and you did not submit a FEMA application, your information may have been used without your knowledge to create a FEMA application.

If this is the case, please inform the inspector that you did not apply for FEMA assistance so they can submit a request to stop further processing of the application. If you did not apply for assistance, but receive a letter from FEMA, please call the FEMA Helpline at (800) 621-3362 or email StopFEMAFraud@fema.dhs.gov.

Individuals posing as government officials:

Be cautious when anyone claiming to be from FEMA or the state asks for a Social Security number, bank account number, or other sensitive information. Remember that HUD, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the Small Business Administration do not charge fees to apply for assistance or to receive property damage inspections.

Hire reputable contractors:

Make sure that any contractor you hire is qualified and has all applicable licenses or certifications required by their field online with the National Association of State Contractors or the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner.

Verify charities:

Do research before donating to new organizations or using new services. Stick with names and reputations vetted using a tool like Charity Navigator.

Do not be pressured to take immediate action:

If someone is telling you that you need to act now, they could be trying to prevent you from verifying whether the business is legitimate. Never pay in full in advance, and do not pay with cash.

Obtain offers in writing:

Ask for written estimates and contracts before you do business. Read the fine print. Make sure your contract does not include any clauses that allow for substantial cancellation fees if you choose not to use the contractor after your insurance company has approved the claim, or that require you to pay the full price if you cancel after the cancellation period has expired.

Pay with a credit card when possible:

This gives you the ability to reverse fraudulent charges, adding an extra layer of protection.

To report fraud:

Visit the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud’s website or call (866) 720-5721.

Local Emergency Management Contacts