SCU Lightning Complex Fire Recovery and Rebuild

The Department of Planning and Development is here to assist all community members affected by the SCU Lightning Complex Fires. Information regarding the SCU Lightning Complex Fire, addressing properties impacted by the fire, and steps for rebuilding structures and buildings damaged or destroyed by the fire are described below.

Please email our SCU Lightning Complex Fire Recovery Team with questions and/or to request information.

Steps in Recovery

1. Damage Assessment

   The Department of Planning and Development Staff, in coordination with the County Emergency Operations Center and Cal Fare, are assessing property affected by the SCU Lightning Complex Fire.

   • Map of damage assessment within the Burn area​

2. Insurance Claims

   Following damage assessment, property owners and residents of property impacted by the Fire should file a claim with your insurance company.

3. County Assessor - Property Reassessment

   Through this process, the Assessor will initiate reassessment of the property and you may be eligible to defer payment of property taxes. Please visit the County Assessor’s webpage for more information.

   If your property has been substantially damaged or destroyed in a governor-declared disaster, you may qualify to have the installment of your property taxes immediately following the disaster deferred by filing a Property Tax Installment Deferral Claim​.(R&T 194 -194.5)

4. Assistance

   • FEMA Fact Sheet
   • Disaster Assistance Fact Sheet
   • Did you know?
   • Disaster Survivor Application checklist
   • SCU Fire Community Resource Phone Directory
   • Application for Reassessment of Property Damage by misfortune or calamity
   • Property Tax Installment Deferral Application
   • Tzu Chi Foundation Northern California Wildfire Relief
   • American Red Cross California Wildfire Immediate Financial Assistance​
   • FEMA​

     • Due to the high demand for Individual Assistance (IA) support. FEMA has extended the deadline to register for assistance for those effected by the SCU Complex Fire to the date of December 11th 2020. If you have not already registered and are interested you may do so utilizing the following ways:

       • Go online to: www.disasterAssistance.gov

FEMA Disaster Assistance Helpline - Available seven days a week from 7:00 am – 1:00 am ET. at 1-800-621-3362, TTY: 1-800-462-7585 (the FEMA helpline can also answer questions and support those who have already applied but may have further questions).

Site Cleanup, Recovery, and Rebuilding

• Waste and debris management, septic, and wells clean up information can be found at the Department of Environmental Health.
• Post Disaster Recovery
  • Rebuilding of structures destroyed or damaged by the fire requires application and issuance of building permits. Email our Fire Recovery Team​ for more information regarding this process for SCU Lightning Fire rebuilding.

Williamson Act

Many of the properties impacted by the SCU Lightning Complex fire are enrolled in the Williamson Act. More information will be posted here soon regarding recovery efforts for Williamson Act properties. For questions regarding Williamson Act agriculture use, contact the Division of Agriculture, Lori Olsen, at (408) 201-0643.​

Additional Information​

For additional information on the SCU Lightning Complex Fire, visit the Office of Emergency Management.​​​​​​