PARADISE, Calif -- One full month after the deadly and destructive Camp Fire, thousands of families of families are still trying to figure out disaster assistance.
Many of them are now making urgent requests to the Butte County Sheriff's Department, hoping to begin receiving FEMA benefits, according to Sheriff Korey Honea.
To clear up rumors that are circulating, Butte County addressed concerns in a Saturday Facebook Live. While Sheriff Korey Honea said that the center established for survivors to request an escort into evacuation zones has received more than 2,000 requests. So far they have only been able to service around 400 of those requests.
Many of the urgent requests said that they could not receive their FEMA benefits until they went into the evacuation zones with a FEMA inspector.
Sheriff Honea reached out to FEMA to clear up the situation for survivors.
"Given the fact that this is an extraordinary situation, different than what has been encountered in the past, our FEMA partners have worked to rectify that situation," he said.
In the Saturday Facebook live, FEMA officials stressed to survivors that no visit with an inspector is necessary to receive benefits.
"You will not lose your FEMA benefits through your registration if your inspection is not completed within 30 days. If your property is still inaccessible, you do not need to worry about your eligibility for disaster assistance," an official said. "You do not need a letter from the Sheriff's office or any other government official (saying) that your home is unsafe to return to."
Proving your evacuation
"To receive additional help, we need to confirm that your home is not accessible," the official said. "But we have instructed hundreds of FEMA staff that for wildfire survivors we will use the maps on buttecountyrecovers.org, under maps, to confirm that your area is under evacuation."
A home located in the pink areas of the map will prove that you are still under evacuation and cannot do an inspection yet.
Officials asked survivors to do the following if they are unable to return to their home, or if it is no longer livable:
- Continue to speak with your insurance company. If you have insurance that is the fastest way to receive financial help.
- If you received an ineligible letter, bring it to the disaster recovery center in Chico or Oroville or call 1-800-621-3362 and give them an update on the status of your insurance so they can make you eligible.
- If you've applied for disaster assistance and have not yet had an inspection, call to request one once the area has been opened to the general public.
Understanding the ineligibility letter
Officials with FEMA said in many cases this letter is sent to survivors who said they have insurance. Officials are waiting to understand the "full realm of your insurance so that we can provide you with any additional assistance that is not covered by insurance," the FEMA official said. "We want to help anybody that we can."
Understanding the 24-hour period for returning
When evacuations lift, the first 24-hour period is open to residents only, Sheriff Honea said.
"This doesn't mean you have to leave after 24 hours, (it means that) after that period is up then members of the general public can go in," he said. "After that 24-hour period is a great time to get FEMA inspectors up there so that you can continue that process.
Curfew in effect in Paradise
Areas open to residents have a curfew in place from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Residents have the right to be on their own property during those curfews, but may not go to other locations.
Sheriff Honea said the curfew was put in place to help the County deal with potential looters in the area.
'"It gives us an opportunity to stop those individuals, question them and determine whether or not they have a lawful right to be there," he said. "If not, we can move them out of the area to protect the property in of those people."
The curfew does not exist within unincorporated areas like Magalia and Concow.
Watch the full Facebook Live below:
