Deadline for Californians to apply for federal wildfire aid is Friday
The deadline for residents in Los Angeles, Ventura and Butte counties to apply for federal relief from damage suffered in the Woolsey, Hill and Camp wildfires is 11:59 p.m. Friday.
Victims of the Woolsey and Hill fires in Los Angeles County and Ventura County, which torched more than 100,000 acres and destroyed thousands of structures, may be eligible for a wide variety of aid to fund repairs, replace lost or damaged property, or help pay for medical or funeral expenses.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency registration deadline for disaster assistance is Feb. 15. Survivors of the fires can register online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling (800) 621-3362.
Those who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services can call (800) 621-3362 to register, according to FEMA. Multilingual options are available, and calls are answered from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
FEMA officials say all survivors are encouraged to apply, even if they have insurance. FEMA disaster assistance may include benefits not covered by many insurers.
Survivors also may register at disaster recovery centers in Butte County, at the Creative Learning Center in Paradise and the former Sears store at the Chico Mall. The Camp fire, the deadliest and most destructive fire in California history, killed more than 80 people and leveled much of the town of Paradise.
More than 27,000 households have applied for federal disaster assistance.
Close to $70 million in aid has been disbursed in Butte County, while a little more than $4 million has been handed out in Los Angeles County and about $480,000 has been given out in Ventura County, FEMA spokesman Ken Higginbotham said.
FEMA also is posting employees at an Agoura Hills hardware store to answer questions about how to repair homes and prepare for future disasters.
FEMA specialists will be at the DIY Home Center in Agoura Hills from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Saturday. Federal employees will be at the hardware store from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Sunday.
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