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FEMA is actively working together with state, local, federal and nonprofit partners to support the California wildfire response. Teams are actively on the ground coordinating lifesaving and life-sustaining activities to support the state-led disaster response. It is crucial for individuals to remain aware of ongoing wildfire hazards, which can be life-threatening. People should continue to listen to instructions from local officials and evacuate immediately if told to do so. Do not return home until you are told it is safe. Residents should remain vigilant as conditions are still dangerous and severely degraded air quality in Los Angeles County poses a threat to residents. If possible, wear a face covering to protect against smoke inhalation.
On Jan. 8, President Biden approved a Major Disaster Declaration to supplement recovery efforts. Los Angeles County residents who have disaster-related needs due to the fires may be eligible for financial assistance. President Biden also approved funds to cover 100 percent cost share for Public Assistance Categories A and B for 180 days. This means that 100 percent of the costs associated with debris removal and lifesaving and life-sustaining activities undertaken by state and local governments, including fire suppression efforts, as they work to save lives.
Los Angeles County residents who have disaster-related needs can now apply for FEMA assistance, which can include money for essential items, temporary housing needs, home repair and other disaster related needs.
There are currently state-run and nonprofit shelters open, and partners like the American Red Cross and others who are providing a safe place to stay, meals and emotional comfort. To find a shelter, text SHELTER and your ZIP code to 43362, visit redcross.org/shelter or call 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767). You can also call this number if you need assistance locating a missing loved one because of the fires.
For more information, visit Press Releases | FEMA.gov.
Los Angeles County, Calif. (Jan. 10, 2025) - FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell and California Governor Gavin Newsom walked through a neighborhood impacted by the wildfires in Los Angeles County. The two were accompanied by FEMA Region 9 Administrator Bob Fenton and other FEMA staff.
Los Angeles County, Calif. (Jan. 10, 2025) - FEMA's Disaster Survivor Assistance staff help people impacted by the wildfires start to apply for assistance and discuss services available to them.
Los Angeles County, Calif. (Jan. 10, 2025) - A shelter at the Westwood Recreational Center for wildfire survivors to go and register for FEMA assistance as well as get supplies being distributed by the American Red Cross and other nonprofit organizations.
Los Angeles County, Calif. (Jan. 13, 2025) - California Regional Urban Search and Rescue Task Force teams are on the ground assisting in response and recovery efforts to provide lifesaving and life-sustaining activities.
Los Angeles County, Calif. (Jan. 13, 2025) - Visalia firefighters are working around the clock and assisting in fire suppression efforts against the Eaton Fire.
While fire suppression activities are ongoing in Southern California, affected individuals and families are beginning to take steps towards recovery.
FEMA is helping people jumpstart their recovery. You may be eligible for FEMA assistance, even if you have insurance. So far, more than $5.3 million has already been given directly to survivors to help pay for emergency supplies like food, water and baby formula, as well as to replace personal property and pay for a temporary place to stay. Below are tips to help Californians recover from the historic wildfires.
Los Angeles County Residents Can Apply for FEMA Assistance
If your primary home was affected by the fires, FEMA may be able to help you cover certain costs – like paying for essential items, finding a place to stay, replacing personal property or making basic repairs to your home. FEMA assistance is designed to help you if you do not have insurance or if your insurance policies don’t cover basic needs. If you have insurance, you should file a claim as soon as possible and be ready to provide your coverage information when applying to FEMA.
There are several ways to apply for FEMA assistance:
To view an accessible video about how to apply, visit FEMA Accessible: Registering for Individual Assistance or en Español.
Los Angeles County residents and renters should know that FEMA does not hand out gift cards, vouchers or any other type of credit to guarantee assistance. FEMA only provides assistance through check or direct deposit.
Replace Your Lost Documents
FEMA understands that people may have lost important documents like passports, property titles, government issued IDs or other vital personal records during the wildfires. Visit ca.gov for a directory of the state’s departments to request your driver’s license, state tax records, birth certificates and other paperwork.
To submit an application for FEMA disaster assistance, you only need:
- Names of everyone living in your home at the time of the fires.
- Social Security number (yours or your child’s).
- Household income.
- Contact information.
- Information of property damage/emergency needs.
Applying for FEMA Assistance Is a Process
After applying for assistance, you will receive a letter from FEMA by mail or email and you can find it on your DisasterAssistance.gov account, based on the preference you indicated when you applied. The letter will explain whether FEMA has found you eligible for assistance, how much and how the assistance must be used.
In some cases, you may receive a letter stating you are “not approved” for help from FEMA. While this may seem like a denial, you may still be eligible for FEMA assistance. Oftentimes, survivors are “not approved” because FEMA needs additional information to make a determination. The letter will explain the reason for the initial decision. Read the letter carefully. The fastest way to submit additional documents is to upload to your disaster assistance account at DisasterAssistance.gov.
Clean Up Safely
Only return to your property if local authorities say it is safe to do so. Avoid hot ash, charred trees, smoldering debris and live embers. The ground may contain heat pockets that can burn you or spark another fire.
When cleaning, wear protective clothing – including a long-sleeved shirt, long pants, work gloves and sturdy thick-soled shoes. Use a respirator to limit your exposure, and, if possible, wet debris to minimize breathing dust particles. People with asthma, COPD and/or other lung conditions should take precautions in areas with poor air quality, as it can worsen symptoms.
Ask for Help if You Need It
The wildfires can take an emotional toll on residents, children and the first responder community. Anyone feeling overwhelmed or in distress because of the fires can call or text the Disaster Distress Helpline 24/7 at 1-800-985-5990 to receive free crisis counseling.
State and nonprofit partners like the American Red Cross and others are providing a safe place to stay, meals and emotional comfort to people. To find a shelter, text SHELTER and your ZIP code to 43362, visit redcross.org/shelter or call 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767). You can also call this number if you need assistance locating a missing loved one because of the fires.
Disaster Response Is a Whole of Government Effort
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services declared a public health emergency for California, providing health care providers and suppliers greater flexibility to meet emergency health needs of Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries.
The U.S. Department of Defense is providing firefighting personnel and capabilities as well as Navy helicopters with water delivery buckets to assist with aerial fire suppression.
People Can Help Affected Communities Recover
Financial contributions to recognized disaster relief organizations are the fastest, most flexible and most effective method of donating. Organizations on the ground know what items and quantities are needed, often buy in bulk with discounts and, if possible, purchase through businesses local to the disaster, which supports economic recovery.
People can connect with trusted organizations operating in the affected area to know where volunteers are needed.
FEMA published two Draft Supplemental Programmatic Environmental Assessments in the Federal Register for public comment. These items are required for review in accordance with the statute and implementing regulations for the National Environmental Policy Act.
The public comment period deadline for both assessments is 5 p.m. ET, Tuesday, Jan. 21.
The Safe Room Construction Supplemental Programmatic Environmental Assessment includes a reevaluation of the environmental analysis and underlying assumptions of the 2011 Programmatic Environmental Assessment. The proposed action includes the nationwide construction, retrofit or renovation of safe rooms eligible for FEMA grant funding.
The Grant Programs Directorate Programs Supplemental Programmatic Environmental Assessment includes a reevaluation of the environmental analysis and underlying assumptions of the 2010 Programmatic Environmental Assessment. The proposed action is the implementation of FEMA’s Grants Programs for security and response measures to improve preparedness.
FEMA will host a webinar on how to plan for data collection and analysis for real-world incident after-action reports from 1-2 p.m. ET on Thursday, Jan. 23. This webinar will emphasize approaches for planning incident after-action reviews outlined in FEMA’s National Continuous Improvement Guidance.
After-action reviews are critical for emergency managers to identify strengths, potential best practices, areas for improvement and mission critical issues during and following real-world incidents. During this webinar, FEMA will equip participants with a systematic approach to successfully collect and analyze data to inform real-world incident after-action review products. The webinar will also review resources focused on developing data collection and analysis plans that are available on the Continuous Improvement Technical Assistance Program’s website in the FEMA Preparedness Toolkit.
The webinar is designed to support the development of state, local, Tribal Nation and territorial partners’, non-governmental organizations’, the private sector’s continuous improvement capabilities in emergency management.
To attend the webinar, register in advance by visiting the event page on FEMA.gov and click the "Register Online" button. If an issue arises while registering or logging in, please contact the FEMA CITAP Team at FEMA-CITAP@fema.dhs.gov.
FEMA has made progress over the past two years in analyzing the nation’s census tracts to designate those most in-need and at-risk due to natural hazards. As outlined in the Community Disaster Resilience Zones Act of 2022, FEMA first designated 483 zones in September 2023 across all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
The agency has designated an additional 172 zones for 57 Tribal Nations and 112 zones for four territories. This brings the total to 767 designated zones across our nation. A full list of Community Disaster Resilience Zones can be viewed on FEMA’s website.
Community Disaster Resilience Zones increase the eligibility for federal support for local jurisdictions to become more resilient to natural hazards and extreme weather. With these designated zones, this opens pathways for increased access to public and private sector funding and technical assistance for resilience and capacity-building projects.
The progress made in implementing the Community Disaster Resilience Zones Act is vital on both a national and local scale. In the coming months, FEMA plans to announce additional collaboration and multi-sector coordination across the public and private sectors, as well as to designate additional state, Tribal Nation, and territorial designated zones.
The Community Disaster Resilience Zone Act is intended to support resilience projects that primarily benefit a designated zone. The primary benefit of a zone designation is the potential for increased access to additional funding and technical assistance for resilience and mitigation projects. An example includes an increased 90% federal cost share under FEMA’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant program.
Supporting designated zones requires the help of partners throughout the public and private sectors. FEMA has begun building avenues for collaboration and cross-sector coordination across all levels of government, philanthropic foundations, private nonprofits, universities, and private businesses to help drive resources to Community Disaster Resilience Zones working to become more resilient to natural hazards.
In the past two years, support for Community Disaster Resilience Zones has been incorporated into several different programs and initiatives across federal agencies and numerous private sector organizations. Learn more about federal support by visiting, Focusing Support from Federal Programs. Learn more about the private sector partnership efforts by visiting, Building Resilience Through Private Sector Partnerships.
For more information about Community Disaster Resilience Zones, visit FEMA.gov.
Annual FEMA Offer for Exercise Support Now Open
FEMA's National Exercise Program provides state, local, Tribal Nation and territorial jurisdictions with no-cost technical assistance for exercises designed to enhance preparedness and response capabilities. The 2025 exercise support requests can be submitted through March 3. New applicants are strongly encouraged to apply, especially those from underserved jurisdictions.
To learn more, including how to request this technical assistance for exercises, attend one of the webinars or office hours FEMA is hosting. All webinars will offer the same content. Register in advance by selecting the links below:
- Office Hours: Thursday, Jan. 16 at 11 a.m. ET: Office Hours Registration #1
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Session 2: Thursday, Jan. 23, at 11 a.m. ET: Session #2 Registration
- Office Hours: Friday, Jan. 24 at 2 p.m. ET: Office Hours Registration #2
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Session 3: Wednesday, Jan. 29 at 4 p.m. ET: Session #3 Registration
- Office Hours: Thursday, Jan. 30 at 2 p.m. ET: Office Hours Registration #3
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Session 4: Monday, Feb. 3 at 11 a.m. ET: Session #4 Registration
- Office Hours: Wednesday, Feb. 5 at 11 a.m. ET: Office Hours Registration #4
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Session 5: Tuesday, Feb. 11 at 2 p.m. ET: Session #5 Registration
- Office Hours: Thursday, Feb. 13 at 4 p.m. ET: Office Hours Registration #5
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Session 6: Thursday, Feb. 20 at 11 a.m. ET: Session #6 Registration
- Office Hours: Friday, Feb. 21 at 11 a.m. ET: Office Hours Registration #6
To learn more about the National Exercise Program, visit FEMA.gov. For specific questions, please email the program staff at NEP@fema.dhs.gov and include "2025 Exercise Support Question" in your subject line.
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Register for the 2025 Radiological Emergency Preparedness Scenario Guidance Listening Sessions
FEMA will host a series of listening sessions through the agency's Radiological Emergency Preparedness Program. The session will gather feedback on existing exercise scenario guidance found in the 2023 Radiological Emergency Preparedness (REP) Program Manual. The sessions will allow state, local, Tribal Nations, territorial, industry and federal stakeholders the opportunity to provide feedback on the challenges presented in implementing REP exercise scenarios.
FEMA will seek feedback on potential improvements to REP scenario guidance. Registration links are listed below. You can also find these sessions listed on the FEMA Events page. Once registered, you will receive a meeting invitation with the link to join.
REP Scenario Guidance Listening Session #1
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Date: Thursday, Jan. 16.
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Time: 1-2 p.m. ET.
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Location: Zoom Register Here.
REP Scenario Guidance Listening Session #2
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Date: Thursday, Jan. 23.
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Time: 1-2 p.m. ET.
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Location: MS Teams Register Here.
REP Scenario Guidance Listening Session #3
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Date: Thursday, Jan. 30.
- Time: 1-2 p.m. ET.
- Location: Zoom Register Here
REP Scenario Guidance Listening Session #4
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Date: Thursday, Feb. 6.
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Time: 1-2 p.m. ET.
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Location: MS Teams Register Here.
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FEMA is Accepting Youth Preparedness Council Applications
FEMA is accepting applications for the Youth Preparedness Council. Students must complete their applications by March 3.
Register for the Youth Preparedness Council Webinar to Learn More
Teens in grades eight through 11 who are interested in applying for the Youth Preparedness Council can learn more about the process and have their questions answered in a webinar at 8 p.m. ET, Thursday, Jan. 30. The webinar will walk students through the application process and give applicants a glimpse of what it’s like to be on the council. Please register for this webinar in advance at this Zoom link.
During their one-year term, council members collaborate virtually with each other to develop projects that promote preparedness on a local and national scale. Members will also have the chance to engage with top leaders within FEMA, the federal government, and national non-profit organizations.
If you know a teen interested in preparedness and community service, encourage them to apply.
To learn more about the Youth Preparedness Council, visit Youth Preparedness Council | FEMA.gov.
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$210M in Additional Funds Available to Protect Faith-based and Nonprofit Organizations
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), through FEMA, is accepting applications for $210 million in Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) funds as the second tranche of additional funding that the Biden-Harris Administration secured to protect faith-based institutions and nonprofit organizations against targeted attacks.
The Notice of Funding Opportunity was published on Oct. 28, 2024. Completed applications must be submitted in the FEMA Grants Outcome (GO) system no later than 5 p.m. ET on Jan. 24.
Supporting materials for stakeholders are available on the Nonprofit Security Grant Program | FEMA.gov. All application materials are also posted on Grants.gov. Eligible applicants should submit their application through FEMA GO. Applicants needing technical support with the FEMA GO system should contact FEMAGO@fema.dhs.gov or (877) 585-3242, Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. ET.
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FEMA Announces $1.35B to Increase Climate Resilience Nationwide
FEMA has announced that the agency is making $1.35 billion available for two grant programs designed to help communities enhance their resilience to the impacts of increasingly frequent and extreme weather events. The Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) annual grant program is making $750 million available for projects that protect people and infrastructure from natural hazards and the effects of extreme weather events. The Flood Mitigation Assistance program is making $600 million available for projects that mitigate flood risks facing homes and communities across the nation.
The funding opportunities for BRIC and Flood Mitigation Assistance grants will be available on Grants.gov.
The application period opened on Jan. 6. Eligible applicants must apply for funding using FEMA Grants Outcomes, FEMA’s grants management system. Applications must be submitted in the portal no later than 3 p.m. ET on April 18. FEMA will not consider applications after this deadline. The application deadlines are for applicants only. Local governments should consult with their state, tribal or territorial agencies to confirm deadlines to submit subapplications.
FEMA plans to host several webinars to educate state, local, Tribal Nation and territorial governments on the programmatic changes. More information will be shared as it becomes available on FEMA.gov.
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