After a Wildfire
Your first 30 days after a wildfire
Once the immediate emergency has passed, the first month is about steady progress, not perfection. This page lays out the tasks most families find helpful, grouped so you can tackle a little at a time. Pick what matters most this week and let the rest wait.
Keep your insurance claim moving
If you opened a claim in the first days, the next stage is working with your assigned adjuster. The adjuster will review your loss and explain your coverage. You can begin a contents inventory at your own pace, gather receipts for temporary living costs, and ask for anything in writing. Our insurance claim checklist breaks the process into simple steps.
If you have not opened a claim yet, it is not too late to start. Call your insurer or agent, report the loss, and write down your claim number and the date.
Register for disaster assistance
When a federal disaster has been declared, two programs commonly help individuals and small businesses:
FEMA
The Federal Emergency Management Agency may offer assistance for needs not covered by insurance, such as temporary housing and certain essential expenses. Registering is the way to find out what you may be eligible for. FEMA assistance is meant to supplement insurance, not replace it.
SBA disaster loans
The U.S. Small Business Administration offers low-interest disaster loans to homeowners, renters, and businesses for repair and replacement. You do not have to own a business to apply, and applying does not obligate you to accept a loan.
Our temporary housing and FEMA guide explains how these fit together with your insurance.
Replace vital records
Many essential documents can be replaced, often for free after a disaster. Make a short list and work through it over the month rather than all at once. Common records people request again include:
- Driver's license or state ID through the California DMV
- Birth, death, and marriage certificates through California Vital Records or your county
- Social Security card through the Social Security Administration
- Property deeds and titles through your county recorder
- Passports through the U.S. State Department
- Insurance policy copies from your insurer or agent
Contact lenders and utility companies
If you have a mortgage, call your lender to ask about hardship or forbearance options. Many lenders offer temporary relief after a declared disaster. Contact your utility providers to pause or transfer service so you are not billed for a home you cannot use. Ask each company to note the disaster on your account, and keep a record of who you spoke with.
Care for your well-being
Recovery is emotional as well as practical. Trouble sleeping, anxiety, and grief are common after a wildfire, and support is available. California's 211 service can connect you with counseling and local resources, and disaster distress help lines offer free, confidential support. Checking in with friends, neighbors, and community groups helps too. Looking after yourself is part of recovery, not a distraction from it.
Organize your records as you go
Keep claim numbers, receipts, photos, and reference numbers together in one folder, physical or digital. A tidy record now saves time at every later step. Our documentation and evidence guide offers simple ways to stay organized.