Following last week’s decision to provide federal disaster aid and FEMA assistance to California in response to the Creek Fire and other summer wildfires, more information is emerging about the recovery process.  Here’s a roundup from the past few days.

• FEMA has begun accepting applications for Creek Fire assistance. You can apply on the federal government’s disaster assistance website, DisasterAssistance.gov, using the FEMA mobile app (download for Android or iPhone), or by calling (800) 621-3362 (TTY: (800) 462-7585).

• The Central Sierra Resiliency Fund is hosting a FEMA & Recovery Assistance Clinic this Saturday, October 24 at 11:00 AM. This free event, focused on accessing assistance through FEMA and the California FAIR Plan, is taking place at the Central Sierra Historical Society & Museum at 42642 Tollhouse Road in Shaver Lake.  Guests are scheduled to include Assemblyman Jim Patterson (R-Fresno) and staff, as well as David Pomaville from the Fresno County Office of Emergency Services.  If you are looking for assistance in the recovery process, this will be a very useful event.

• UPDATE 10/23 12:45 PM: Because their Saturday just wasn’t full enough, the Resiliency Fund is also hosting a free Community Soil Stabilization Demonstration & Training Clinic at 1:30 PM on October 24.  This event, taking place at Cressman’s General Store at 36088 Tollhouse Road, will focus on helping landowners understand methods for stopping land erosion, including training in beginning soil stabilization techniques.  Several community experts will be on hand as well as representatives of the USDA’s Natural Resource Conservation Service.  If you are unsure of how to protect your land from erosion due to the fire, this event is for you.

• FEMA has released information regarding property inspections for those seeking FEMA assistance. While these inspections have traditionally been conducted in person, due to the COVID-19 pandemic remote inspections will be done for Creek Fire victims.  More information on the process can be found on FEMA’s website.  (Note that this is the same information included in the California OES Fact Sheet posted on Facebook.)

• Fresno County District 5 Supervisor Nathan Magsig has posted information on clean up options for residential property owners on his Facebook page. The clean-up will be done in two phases: household hazardous waste removal starting the first week of November, and debris removal estimated to begin in mid-December.  If you’d like to learn more about clean-up, you can view the whole post here.

Sean Wilson is the creator and administrator of the Raised at Huntington Lake project, and a fourth-generation cabin owner at Idylwilde Tract.  You can reach him at sean@raisedathuntingtonlake.com.