Weather-Related Events
and Disaster Assistance

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Firestorm Resources

Reporting and Record Keeping

  • The San Diego County Department of Agriculture requests, if you've experienced loss or damage to your property due to the fires, that you fill out a Loss Report Form here.This information will be important in determining how much aid flows to San Diego County.
  • In the event that funding becomes available for certain disaster relief programs, it is important that you document all expenses, losses and costs associated with cleanup and rebuilding through photos, receipts and journal entries. Agencies will need to see documented proof of expenses.
  • If you've experienced losses, it is recommended that you contact the Farm Service Agency office in Indio (760) 347-3675 ext.2, and register with them. This will be helpful in the event that federal grants become available.
  • Although it is unclear whether any funds will flow through FEMA to agriculture, it has been suggested by government officials that growers register with FEMA as well. You can contact FEMA at (800) 621-3362.

Insurance

  • Growers who suffered fire damage and have crop insurance are advised to contact their agent immediately and have an adjustor sign off on the losses before doing any work to clean up the damage.

Loans

  • The lending institution American Ag Credit offers competitive financing for agribusiness. They have an office in Escondido and can be reached at (760) 746-5055. They also have a website, www.agloan.com.
  • The Farm Service Agency has available Emergency Low Interest Loans. You can read details here. If you think you qualify for these loans, call the FSA's Indio office at (760) 347-3675 ext. 2.
  • The Governor's State of Emergency declaration for San Diego County has activated the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency's Small Business Disaster Assistance Loan Guarantee Program. This loan is available to farmers, ranchers, growers, and ag-related businesses. California Southern Small Business Development Corporation, a non-profit corporation, contracts with the state to guarantee loans through traditional lenders. If you're going to apply for a loan through your bank to cover fire related losses, call the office listed below. You can read more about the Small Business Disaster Assistance Loan Guarantee Program here. Local Contact: California Southern Small Business Development Corporation, 600 B Street, Suite 2450, San Diego, CA 92101. Their phone number is (619) 232-7771. The president of California Southern is Mike McCraw. His cell phone number is (619) 884-0116.

Pending Programs (check this website often to see if funding is available)

  • These programs are offered by the United States Department of Agriculture. The local contact for these programs, if and when funds become available, will be the Farm Service Agency office in Indio (760) 347-3675 ext. 2, and the Natural Resource Conservation Service office in Escondido (760) 745-2061.
  • FSA Emergency Conservation Program. (Now funded. See Funded Relief Programs.) ECP can help rebuild productivity of the land and restore conservation structures including irrigation systems, stockwater facilities and fences.
  • Tree Assistance Program. TAP can replace lost trees.
  • Emergency Watershed Protection Program. EWP can help stabilize hills to prevent mudslides, revegetate land to reduce erosion and remove debris, preventing further damage to property.
  • NRCS Environmental Quality Incentives Program. (Now funded. See Funded Relief Programs.) EQIP can help with the cost to protect and improve soil, water, air, plant and animal resources.
  • Livestock Indemnity Program. LIP compensates livestock producers for livestock losses that resulted from natural disasters.
  • Livestock Compensation Program. LCP compensates livestock producers for feed losses on non-irrigated grazing land resulting from natural disasters.

Funded Relief Programs

  • NRCS and FSA have received a combined $6.6 million to fund two relief programs. See details here.

Tax & Permit Relief

  • The county has waived all building permit fees for rebuilding structures damaged or destroyed by the wildfires. See details here.
  • Also, the County Tax Assessor has made Property Tax Relief available to all owners whose property was damaged or destroyed in the fires. See details here.
  • Internal Revenue Service.
  • California Franchise Tax Board.

Disaster Assistance Centers

  • The state is opening five Disaster Assistance Centers throughout the county to help those affected by the fire begin rebuilding. These centers will be a one stop source for disaster relief services. There will be representatives from county and state agencies providing information on how to replace records destroyed by fire, file insurance claims, and apply for assistance and housing. Operating hours are: Monday - Friday 8a.m. to 7p.m., Saturday 8a.m. to 4p.m., and Sunday 9a.m. to 2p.m..
  • FEMA has made available a Fire Disaster Assistance Packet for victims of the wildfires. It details steps taken and phone calls you should make in order to begin rebuilding.

Resource Conservation Technical Assistance

  • The Natural Resource Conservation Service (760) 745-2061 provides technical assistance for erosion control, revegetation, fencing, irrigation systems, and other issues related to natural resource conservation.
  • Mission Resource Conservation District provides information on erosion control and can help estimate property repair and replacement costs. Their phone number is (760) 728-1332.

Cleanup

  • The County Department of Environmental Health has published numerous tips on safe and effective cleanup when returning to a burned area. You can read their suggestions here.
  • Removal of residential debris in the unincorporated county.
  • Free erosion control supplies in the unincorporated county.

U.C. Cooperative Extension

  • The Farm and Home Advisors Office University of California Cooperative Extension has published Best Management Practices for soil conservation after a wildfire. A comprehensive article can be downloaded here.
  • Gary Bender, a Farm Advisor with the County of San Diego U.C. Cooperative Extension office, has published an article titled Recovery from Fire Damage in Avocado Groves. You can read it here.

Freeze-Related Cultural Information:

Growers who have suffered freeze damage trees or fruit loss should consider:

  1. Contacting their handler for a complete grove evaluation, advice on what and when to harvest, and information on market conditions;
  2. Contacting their claims adjuster, if they have federal crop insurance and requesting a survey of the damage sustained;
  3. Contacting their county agriculture commissioner's office to report losses, including acreage affected and percent damage or loss. Consider taking pictures of tree and fruit damage to support claims;
  4. Contacting their local USDA Farm Service Agency for information about disaster assistance programs. A locator map can be found by clicking here.

Other resources:

UC Avocado Rehabilitation of Freeze-Damaged Citrus and Avocado Trees

Tree Loss Calculator (Scroll down and click on "Avocado Trees" to download calculator)

Tree Recovery After the December 1990 Freeze

Arpaia, Mary Lu, Witney, Guy W.
California Avocado Society 1991 Yearbook 75:63-70
Tree Recovery After the December 1990 Freeze
Guy Witney Farm Advisor, University of Cooperative Extension, 21150 Box Springs Road, Moreno Valley, CA 92557
Mary Lu Arpaia Extension Specialist, Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, Riverside 92521
On December 20, 1990 was hit by a record freeze.

CDFA Cold Weather Precautions

UC Davis Principles of Frost Protection

UC Davis Biometeorology Program (Scroll down to view frost protection information)

Loan and Insurance Information:

Disaster Recovery and Mitigation Handbook

Governor's Office of Emergency Services' Freeze Resource Webpage

Small Business Administration (SBA) Economic Injury Disaster Loans