Golden State Today

After the containment of 443 wildfires in Los Angeles County and parts of Ventura County, which resulted in 29 fatalities and the burning of 57,670 acres, efforts to rebuild are starting to take shape. The California State Treasurer’s Office has created a comprehensive guide to support small business owners and residents during the recovery phase.

This guide, the California Wildfire Recovery Resource Guide, provides crucial information from federal, state, and local agencies, as well as nonprofit groups offering aid. It includes details on shelters, legal resources, and tax relief to assist those affected.

NFIB California is collecting information from these resources and has organized a call for its members with representatives from the Governor’s Office of Small Business Advocate and BizFed. The discussion provided suggested resources for rebuilding efforts, which can be further explored on NFIB's website.

Federal agencies such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Small Business Administration are offering disaster assistance and loans. State agencies, including the California Governor’s Office and others, are directing people to resources like Outsmart Disaster and the Franchise Tax Board site on Los Angeles County Fires.

Local agencies like Los Angeles County and the City of Los Angeles have developed recovery sites providing information on local assistance and resources available.

Governor Gavin Newsom has announced economic initiatives aiming at recovery, such as a $245 million investment for job creation and Los Angeles's recovery. Further government responses include tax relief plans for businesses and an executive order to expedite reconstruction by waiving certain environmental requirements. Additionally, the California Department of Insurance is protecting policyholders from non-renewal of their insurance policies.

For ongoing updates, resources such as Daily Wildfire Updates by CalMatters, LAist, PBS SoCal, and NPR-affiliate KCRW provide regular information for those seeking guidance.