One Month Later: Federal Support for Wildfire Survivors Nears $700 Million

LOS ANGELES – On January 7, when wildfires first struck Los Angeles County and adjacent areas, more than 200,000 Californians were evacuated. State and local governments responded quicky to fight the blazes, employing more than 2,000 pieces of firefighting equipment – 80-plus aircraft, 200-plus bulldozers and more – which were soon bolstered by the governor’s activation of 2,500 National Guard troops and a request for a federal disaster declaration. 

On January 8, the Los Angeles County wildfires were declared a major disaster by the president, and a surge of additional federal resources commenced. FEMA and its federal partners responded with thousands of personnel and millions of dollars focused on saving lives and containing the fires. 

By Feb. 2, the fires were 100 percent contained. Weeks before, FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) had already begun assisting Californians in their recovery – for now and for the long term. As of Feb. 7, federal assistance to eligible homeowners, renters and businesses, in the form of FEMA grants and low-interest SBA Disaster Loans, has reached $683,276,321.

That number includes:

• $64,069,621 in FEMA housing and other assistance
• $619,206,700 in home and business loan offers from the SBA, the largest source of federal disaster recovery funds for homeowners, renters, businesses and certain nonprofits.

So far, 27,211 households have been approved for FEMA funds including:

• $9,990,895 in housing assistance for short-term rental assistance and home-repair costs
• $54,078,726 for other essential disaster-related needs, such as expenses related to medical, dental and lost personal possessions.
• 40,574 home inspections have been completed to assess property damage.
• Two Disaster Recovery Centers remain open at UCLA Research Park and Altadena Recovery Center. In total, the centers have logged 12,641 survivor visits. At the centers, residents may speak in person to representatives from federal and state programs, the American Red Cross and various nongovernmental nonprofits and community groups.

In partnership with the State of California, Los Angeles County, and local officials, FEMA will continue helping California’s individuals and families get back on their feet and jumpstart their recovery.

The deadlines to apply with FEMA and SBA are both March 10, 2025.

• To apply for FEMA assistance, visit disasterassistance.gov, use the FEMA mobile app, or by call 800-621-3362. You may also visit a DRC for in-person assistance.  To locate a DRC, please click here.
• FEMA’s services and programs are accessible to people with disabilities and others with access and functional needs.
• To apply for a disaster loan from SBA, visit SBA’s disaster website: sba.gov/disaster, contact SBA by email at disastercustomerservice@sba.gov or call 800-659-2955 for information. You may also visit a Disaster Loan Outreach Center or Business Recovery Center for in-person assistance. For hours and locations, visit appointment.sba.gov.