Wednesday, April 2, 2025

FEMA Granted $100 Million in Aid to LA County Fire Victims

By ANDRÈ COLEMAN, Managing Editor

Federal Emergency Management Agency doled out more than $100 million in federal assistance in response to the Los Angeles County wildfires in Eaton Canyon and the Palisades.

An official with Federal Emergency Management Agency’s public affairs office told Pasadena Now on Tuesday that in total $104,827,937.86 was given out for assistance. LA County residents received $26,457,850.91 in housing assistance and $78,370,086.95.

There was no breakdown available showing what local residents in Pasadena and Altadena received.

Seventeen people died as a result of the Eaton Fire which destroyed 9,000 buildings in Altadena and Pasadena, and burned 14,000 acres.

More than 200,000 Californians were evacuated.

LA County residents received $2 billion in home and business loan offers from the Small Business Association.

The deadline for local residents impacted by January’s Eaton Fire to apply for federal disaster assistance, including disaster loans from the Small Business Administration and disaster unemployment assistance, expired Monday night.

Federal Emergency Management Agency had tables at the Pasadena Convention Center which was used as an emergency shelter after the fire broke out.

A center was later opened at Pasadena City College Community Education Center.

According to reports, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Noem, announced in a cabinet meeting: “We’re going to eliminate FEMA.”

Only Congress has the authority to abolish the agency. However, the President can scale back Federal Emergency Management Agency resources. So far hundreds of workers with the agency have been eliminated.

Eliminating Federal Emergency Management Agency could impact people during future disasters. President Donald Trump signed an executive order that would shift the burden of disaster response from the federal government to state and local government.

Democrats and Republicans have introduced legislation to transform Federal Emergency Management Agency once again to a stand-alone, cabinet level agency. The agency was a stand alone before the Department of Homeland Security was formed.