Evacuees impacted by Caldor Fire wait for disaster declaration help to cover their needs

PLACERVILLE, Calif. — More help is now on the way for those impacted by recent wildfires in California.

President Joe Biden just approved the major disaster declaration that provides help for those impacted by wildfires in the region with applications starting Wednesday, Aug. 25. The declaration opens up federal dollars for temporary housing, home repairs, low-cost loans and other programs.

For now though the declaration only covers people impacted by fires in Nevada, Placer, Plumas and Lassen counties. It currently does not include the over 24,000 people forced to evacuate because of the Caldor Fire in El Dorado County.

Evacuee John Davis and his family have been staying in tents at one of the evacuation centers since they were forced to leave at the start of the fire. 

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office specified that for now, the request for a major disaster declaration the President approved is specific to the Dixie and River Fires, but also added that other fires, such as the Caldor Fire may be included once officials can safely assess the scope of the damage that the Caldor Fire has caused. The assessments can only happen once the fire conditions let those officials in to assess the damage.

No one is more anxious for the conditions to improve than those fighting the fires and those still evacuated from their homes.

“I'm not holding my breath as to when, but I'm holding onto confidence that when I do get ready I will move right back into where I was," Davis said.

While there’s still a wait for federal aid to possibly come to those impacted by the Caldor Fire, ABC10 looked into the local help that’s available right now. Help from the American Red Cross can be accessed by calling 855-755-7111. 

Also, the El Dorado Community Foundation’s Caldor Fire Fund, opens to the public 5 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 25, provides $500 for food, temporary housing costs, medication and other basic needs. The foundation’s website lists the below requirements:

• Physical address is in the mandatory evacuation area of the Caldor Fire.
• Your home that is in the evacuation area must be a primary residence.
• Requests must be directly related to the fire or the evacuation from fire.
• Only one request per residence will be considered. 
• There will be no second requests considered at this time either.  We are trying to help as many folks as possible.  Please do NOT take up two of the requests (or our time in doing so).

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