Millions of Southern Californians were on edge as winds began picking up during a final round of dangerous fire weather forecast for the region Wednesday where two massive blazes have killed at least 25 and destroyed thousands of homes. A day after firefighters got a reprieve with lighter winds than expected, gusts were hitting up to 35 mph (56 kph) on the coast and valleys and 55 mph (88 kph) in the mountains before dawn, National Weather Service meteorologist Todd Hall said.
Here's the latest:. FEMA delivers cash assistance to affected households. About 40,000 people have applied for assistance from Federal Emergency Management Agency, which has already disbursed more than $8 million for immediate needs like water, food, baby formula and gas. The initial money goes directly into bank accounts, regional FEMA administrator Robert J. Fenton, Jr. said Tuesday, denying misinformation about vouchers.
President Joe Biden did say that the federal government would pay 100% of the firefighting and recovery costs in the first 180 days. But that doesn’t mean FEMA will cover 100% of individual families’ costs — the maximum amount FEMA can provide is $43,600, Fenton said.
Representatives from FEMA, the Small Business Administration, the state and several charities gathered to explain the process at a disaster recovery center at UCLA Research Park West and Pasadena City College Community Education Center. FEMA offers up to $770 to help cover the evacuees’ immediate needs, but its larger grants generally aren’t available until after insurance companies pay out. Someone who receives a maximum grant from FEMA might be eligible for another $10,000 grant from the state.
