El Dorado County creates video to plead with President Biden to overturn FEMA denial of funds

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - A short video featuring stories and appeals for assistance from survivors of the Caldor Fire has been created to send to President Biden. The personal plea is from residents who have lost everything and need help that Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) can, but is not, providing.

The Caldor Fire ripped through El Dorado County starting August 14, 2021, burning 221,835 acres and destroying 1,003 structures, and displacing 50,000 residents. Seventy-five percent of the community of Grizzly Flats was destroyed and the fire devastated the lives of thousands of county residents.

FEMA denied residents Individual Assistance funding that could greatly help with temporary housing, emergency home repairs, uninsured and underinsured shortfalls for personal property losses, medical and dental costs, mental health services, food, clothing, and other needs that would help them residents recover from their losses.

At this point, only President Biden can overturn FEMA's denial. When he surveyed the damaged area in September, he pledged assistance. About 25 percent of the residents who lost homes did not have fire insurance, and many more were underinsured.

In another recent action, there was a change in FEMA's initial denial of funding for the removal of structural debris on USFS land. The El Dorado County Board of Supervisors emailed FEMA in February, asking they authorize funding for the removal of structural debris on USFS land from the Caldor Fire. At first, FEMA declined their request, just as they have done on other destroyed structures on USFS land in the past.

FEMA wrote to the board again recently, telling them they reviewed the new information presented in that letter regarding state and local government authorities, and FEMA said they agreed with the State’s position that there is sufficient legal authority to remove structural debris.

Therefore, the removal of debris associated with structures owned by permitholders on USFS lands is now eligible for public assistance (PA) funding subject to the limitations noted below:

First, PA funding will be limited to debris associated with structures owned and maintained by private individuals holding Recreational Resident Permits or similar use permits obtained from USFS. Trees located on permitholder parcels are the property of the USFS, and their removal is not eligible for reimbursement (except those that are removed to address an imminent threat to the health and safety of debris removal crews). PA funding is also unavailable for the removal of debris associated with structures owned directly by USFS.

Second, PA funding will only be available for the removal of structural debris belonging to permitholders who have signed a Right of Entry (ROE) to participate in the State’s Consolidated Debris Removal Program or where the State and/or county is authorized to abate the debris through its own legal authorities. PA funding is not available where debris removal activities are directed by USFS or dependent on USFS enforcement of permitholder responsibilities.

Third, permitholders who have already removed structural debris from USFS land are not eligible to recover their costs as PA funding is limited to eligible applicants such as public entities and certain private non-profits. Unfortunately, there is no mechanism to reimburse costs for debris removal performed by private individuals.

"We understand and share the State’s concerns regarding the need to quickly eliminate the threat to public health and safety posed by the structural debris on USFS land. We appreciate your continued partnership in addressing the matter," said FEMA in the letter to the County.

FEMA cannot reimburse the State for the cleanup of structural debris located on lands upon which the State has no legal authority to perform work. They are also prohibited from reimbursing for work that falls under the authority of another federal agency.

For more information on recovery, visit https://www.edcgov.us/Pages/Caldor-Fire-Recovery.aspx.