In response to the ongoing North Complex Fire, Butte County has been added to a list of California counties approved for assistance to individuals and households as part of the Major Disaster Declaration, which President Donald J. Trump initially granted on August 22, 2020 due to multiple massive wildfires.
Butte County is the ninth county to receive federal approval for individual assistance, joining Lake, Monterey, Napa, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Solano, Sonoma and Yolo as previously approved counties. The addition of Butte allows the county to be designated for individual assistance and assistance for debris removal.
Previously, Butte County had been designated for emergency protective measures including direct federal assistance under the Public Assistance Program. Additionally, San Mateo County has been designated for debris removal and permanent work and Monterey, Napa, Santa Cruz, Solano and Sonoma counties received designation for permanent work.
FEMA’s individual assistance program provides grants to help eligible survivors with financial assistance that may include rent, home repair, home replacement and other disaster-related needs such as childcare, medical and dental expenses.
Eligible applicants for the Public Assistance Program include state, county and local governments, federally recognized tribal governments, and some private non-profits such as educational and medical facilities. FEMA provides 75 percent of the cost of eligible projects.
Apply for disaster assistance with the Federal Emergency Management Agency online at www.disasterassistance.gov; by downloading the FEMA app to a smartphone or tablet; or by calling the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 (TTY 800-462-7585) between 7 a.m. and 10:30 p.m. Pacific.
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has established a Virtual Disaster Loan Outreach Center to help homeowners and renters. Customer service representatives are available to assist business owners and individuals to answer questions about SBA’s disaster loan program, explain the application process and help each person complete their electronic loan application.
Virtual Business Recovery Center and Virtual Disaster Loan Outreach Center
Mondays-Sundays
5 a.m. to 5 p.m. PDT
800-659-2955
These services are only available for the California disaster declaration as a result of the wildfires that began Aug. 14, 2020, and not for COVID-19-related assistance.