Wildfire Support Resources
Preparing for a Wildfire
Homeowners and business owners should take some precautionary measures to be prepared in case a wildfire sparks up in your community.
- Create an evacuation plan for your family or business
- Store important documents and medications in a bag or container that can be quickly and easily taken in a hurry in the event of an evacuation
- Follow and monitor evacuation orders from local authorities in your area
Visit the CalFire Prepare for Wildfire website for more wildfire preparation tips and resources.
Rebuilding After a Wildfire
Monitor communications from local authorities and only return to your property when it is safe, and you are instructed to do so.
- Take photos and document all your property damage and losses
- Contact your insurance company
- Contact the Wildfire Recovery Attorneys so they can help step you through the recovery process
- Never sign any document such as a waiver, release, or hold-harmless agreement, and do not give a recorded statement unless your attorney is present. Let your lawyer handle all settlement negotiations to ensure that you receive enough money to rebuild or replace everything you’ve lost
Visit the CalFire Post-Wildfire Recovery website for more recovery tips.
Whether you have lost your home, a loved one, have been displaced or have experienced some other loss or trauma as a result of a wildfire, we encourage you to seek support or medical care to address mental health concerns. Below, are some of the services available to those suffering from emotional distress as a result of wildfires.
The Disaster Distress Helpline, 800-985-5990
The Disaster Distress Helpline is a national hotline dedicated to providing immediate crisis counseling for people experiencing emotional distress related to any natural or human-caused disaster. The helpline provides toll-free, multilingual and confidential crisis support service to all residents in the United States and its territories 24/7, 365 days-a-year. Stress, anxiety, and other depression-like symptoms are common reactions after a disaster. Call the helpline 800-985-5990 or text TalkWithUs to 66746, and you will be connected with a trained crisis counselor. The deaf or hearing impaired can access the Disaster Distress Helpline can text: TalkWithUs to 66746 or use their preferred relay service to call the helpline at 1-800-985-5990, TTY 1-800-846-8517
California Hope Helpline, 530-966-7382
The Hope Helpline provides support for the physical, emotional, cognitive and behavioral event reactions to fires and disasters by connecting people impacted by fire disaster with mental health professionals.
The Friendship Line
An accredited crisis line and a warm-line specialized in caring conversation for older adults (ages 60+). Call 800-971-0016 to connect with a trained volunteer who specializes in offering a caring ear and friendly conversation with older adults. Available 24/7.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
Anyone thinking about suicide can call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for help or chat online at suicidepreventionlifeline.org. To access the Crisis Text Line text ‘LISTEN‘ to ‘741741.’
Help Kids Cope
A free mobile app for parents, which assists parents in talking with their children about disasters, including examples of typical reactions of children to disaster experiences, shared experiences from other parents that have experienced a disaster, and ideas on what to say in certain situations in a child-friendly way. This app was developed by the National Child Stress Network and can be downloaded through the App store on mobile phones or online at www.nctsn.org/resources/help-kids-cope.