Grant, loan applications due for FEMA aid in California wildfires

Dec. 10--Friday is the deadline for individuals and households in Sonoma and 14 other counties that sustained losses in the August and September wildfires to apply for federal grants and low-interest loans.

Grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency help eligible survivors pay for rent, home repair and replacement and other serious disaster-related needs, including vehicle repair or replacement, medical and funeral expenses.

The assistance programs cover losses from the LNU Lightning Complex (Hennessey, Walbridge and Meyers fires), the August Complex, and Glass fire, as well as other major blazes outside of the region.

For reimbursement, survivors should photograph damage and save receipts for repair work, and also file a claim with their insurer before registering with FEMA. The agency can determine eligibility once an applicant's insurance claim is settled, but only if they register by Friday.

Survivors may register online at DisasterAssistance.gov, with the FEMA mobile app on a smartphone or tablet or by calling the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. Pacific Time.

Disaster loans for individuals and businesses of all sizes are available from the U.S. Small Business Administration at the Virtual Disaster Loan Outreach Center at 800-659-2955 from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific Standard Time daily or by email at FOCWAssistance@sba.gov.

These services are available under a California disaster declaration and cover Sonoma as well as Lake, Napa, Mendocino, Butte, Lassen, Monterey, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano, Stanislaus, Trinity, Tulare and Yolo counties.

For the latest information on wildfire recovery, go to fema.gov/disaster/4558.

You can reach Staff Writer Guy Kovner at 707-521-5457 or guy.kovner@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @guykovner.

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