FEMA, SBA offer help with wildfire losses to homes, businesses

Homeowners, renters and business owners who sustained losses in the August lightning fires may qualify for grants or loans from two federal agencies, but should not wait until their insurance claims have been settled.

“Don’t delay any longer,” said Maria Padron, a spokeswoman for the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Disaster assistance may be able to fill insurance gaps or provide help to fire victims who have been waiting more than 30 days on a homeowners claim, she said.

The deadline for registering with FEMA and the Small Business Administration is Nov. 23.

The assistance programs apply to wildfires that occurred between Aug. 12 and Sept. 26, including the Walbridge and Meyers fires in Sonoma County and the Hennessey fire in Napa County.

The three blazes were part of the LNU Lightning Complex, one of four multi-fire incidents that scorched more than 1.8 million acres.

FEMA may not, by law, duplicate insurance or other benefits, but it may help in certain circumstances, such as:

*Needs not met by an insurance settlement;

*Disaster-related temporary housing beyond the amount of an insurance settlement for additional living expenses;

*Needs not covered by insurance, such as medical, dental and funeral costs and emergency home repairs.

Homeowners also may seek grants for fire damage to wells or septic tanks.

Low-interest SBA loans can help businesses of all sizes, nonprofits, homeowners and renters with repairs and rebuilding, as well as replacement of lost or damaged personal property.

FEMA and SBA registration is available at www.disasterassistance.gov.

Multilingual operators are available at the toll-free FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 from 7 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. daily.

On a separate track, FEMA will cover 100% of the costs of debris removal and emergency protective measures from the Walbridge and Meyers fires, U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson said Wednesday.

The agency will cover the full cost of these programs for Sonoma and at least three other counties — Napa, Lake and Solano — ravaged by the LNU Lightning Complex fires ignited in mid-August.

The complex scorched 363,200 acres, including the Walbridge and Meyers fires that destroyed 298 structures, including 159 homes, across 57,300 acres in Sonoma County. The Hennessey fire, centered mostly in Napa County, burned 317,909 acres, destroyed 633 structures and killed five people.

Federal assistance for declared disasters is usually capped at 75%, but Thompson, a St. Helena Democrat, requested additional support in a Sept. 1 letter to FEMA Administrator Peter Gaynor.

Thompson said in a statement Wednesday he sought the funding boost to “lessen the financial burden on our state and local governments.”

“This much-needed relief will help our communities already struggling due to the pandemic have the resources they need to recover and rebuild from the LNU Lightning Complex fires,” he said.

FEMA reimburses state and local governments and certain types of nonprofits for the cost of debris removal and emergency protective measures, such as temporary facilities for essential community services, provision of food and water at central distribution points and temporary generators.

Thompson was in Washington last month when the Glass fire erupted in Napa County, forcing his wife and everyone else in the neighborhood where he lives to evacuate. St. Helena was spared in the 67,484-acre fire, but another 645 homes in Sonoma and Napa counties were destroyed by the blaze, which was 97% contained as of Thursday.

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