UCCE recognizes that post-fire recovery can be a daunting process and expresses our sympathy to those who have been impacted by fire and we hope you find these resources valuable. Please feel free to reach out if you have questions that these resources do not answer.
UCCE Sonoma, Napa, and Marin County Advisors are available to help assess agricultural losses due to fire. For more information, call our office 707-565-2621 or email:
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Take Care of Yourself
Wildfire and other natural disasters can be a lot to deal with both physically and mentally. Ensure you prioritize yourself and your family's well-being over everything else. Some basic steps to help meet your physical and emotional needs:
- Stay in a safe environment
- Continue to rest, drink plenty of water, and eat
- Recognize your own feelings
- Help children recognize their feelings
- Journal or seek mental health professional help
- Remain positive and focus on the positive
It is normal to feel overwhelmed, know that you are not alone, and that there are resources available:
Post-fire Recovery
Check with the Fire Department or Sheriffs office to make sure your home is safe to make sure your home is safe to enter. Be very careful in and around the home, as things could be unstable. The Fire Department should be able to tell you if your utilities (water, electricity, and gas) are safe to use. Here are some first steps to recovery:
- Contact your insurance company
- Contact the IRS - there may be benefits or time extensions for those recovering from natural disasters
- Document everything - take pictures of everything (the more documentation you have, the better)
- Wear gloves and an N-95 mask when working in the fire footprint during clean-up
- EPA or Cal EPA might be available to assist in clean-up efforts
- Be sure to throw out any food or medication that was left. They may be spoiled due to power outages or be contaminated.
- If you own crop land, contact your local County Department of Agriculture.
Helpful Post-Fire Information for Urban Areas
- After the Fire: Home Garden Soil Management (Factsheet)
- After the Fire: Home Garden and Fruit Tree Safety (Factsheet)
- After the Fire: Backyard Chicken and Egg Safety (Factsheet)
- Post-Fire Erosion Control (Factsheet)
- Food Safety after Urban Wildfire (Webpage with more resources)
Helpful Post-Fire Information for Forest, Rangeland and Agricultural Landowners
- MSU Extension Service: After Wildfire - Information for Landowners Coping with the Aftermath of Wildfire (Knight, 2002). This resource gives information for ranchers and owners of grazing operations, tools, ideas, and strategies on how to navigate after a wildfire.
- UC Cooperative Extension: Recovering from Wildfire: A Guide for California's Forest Landowners (Shive and Kocher, 2017). Resource to help forest landowners figure out the "What should I do now?" after a wildfire.
- UC Cooperative Extension Post-Fire Forest Stewardship Materials. Lots of information about anything post-fire in forest and range systems. Topics include Post-Fire Considerations, Reforestation, Post-Fire Grazing, and Stewardship activities 3 to 5 years in the future.
- NRCS Top Ten List: What Property Owners Should Consider if Wildfire has Caused Damage to their Property
- Post-Fire Tree Resources
Financial Help for Forest, Rangeland, and Agricultural Landowners
General Resources for Post-Fire Recovery
UC ANR Fire Network: Wildfire Recovery - Find resources for all your wildfire recovery questions. Topics include: Landscape Restoration, Forest Recovery, Livestock Resources, and Vineyard Resources.
UC ANR Fire Network: Post-Fire Management - Offers short YouTube videos about post-fire management of Forests, Soil, Orchards, Vineyards, and Produce.
CalOES - California Wildfire Statewide Recovery Resources - Resources for hazardous waste removal and other resources for wildfire victims.
County of Sonoma Recovery Resources - Recovery Resources for Sonoma County Residents
County of Napa Wildfire Assistance, Relief and Preparedness Resources - Recovery Resources for Napa County Residents