Here’s where to go for help with Mountain Fire recovery

The Mountain Fire has ripped through 20,630 acres and destroyed more than 200 homes and other structures since it sparked in the Somis area, north of Camarillo, on the morning of Nov. 6.

By Thursday afternoon, the fire was 82% contained, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire, and local governments had begun gearing up recovery plans. Evacuation orders were still in place for some areas on Thursday.

Information covering the Ventura County’s support services is available at venturacountyrecovers.org. Efforts from the city of Camarillo are outlined at cityofcamarillo.org/mountainfire.
Where to get help with Mountain Fire recovery

County agencies and nonprofits have rolled out a range of aid programs and guidance in the week since the Mountain Fire began:

Local Assistance Center: The county, city of Camarillo and their partners are centralizing recovery services and guidance at the Ventura County Office of Education conference center at 5100 Adolfo Road in Camarillo. The center opened Thursday and will remain open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. More details are available at venturacountyrecovers.org.
211 Ventura County: Call 211 to get information and referrals to help with shelter, health care, food, utilities, mental health, legal, disaster services and transportation. Search for services online at 211ventura.org.
Returning home: The county published safety guidance for those returning to homes in evacuation zones at www.venturacountyrecovers.org.
Health information: Guides and public health advisories are available at venturacountyrecovers.org on a range of topics like returning to your home or business; local water quality; wildfire smoke and face masks and air quality advisory.
Emergency loans: The Ventura County Credit Union offers emergency loans to both members and non-members affected by natural disasters. Get information by visiting www.vccuonline.net, by calling 805-477-4000 during regular hours or by calling the credit union’s 24-hour teller at 805-339-4222.
Home insurance and recovery help: The insurance consumer advocacy nonprofit United Policyholders is hosting an online Survivor to Survivor Forum at 7 p.m. on Nov. 18. Register online at uphelp.org.

Report agricultural damage: The County Agricultural Commissioner is collecting information on agricultural damage. The county will use the information in the damage assessment report it uses to apply for federal disaster relief. For more info, visit www.venturacountyrecovers.org.
Wildfire debris removal: Wildfire cleanup can be dangerous, with debris left behind by the blaze containing hazardous chemicals and materials. Information on debris removal assistance is available in a video and online guide, both accessible at www.venturacountyrecovers.org.

Ways to help

Some nonprofits are collecting donations to aid recovery and relief efforts:

General relief and recovery: The Ventura County Community Foundation is administering the Ventura County Wildfire Relief & Recovery Fund. Donate online at vccf.org.
Relief for undocumented individuals: A collection of local groups launched the 805 Undocufund after the 2017 Thomas Fire and rebooted it in the wake of the Mountain Fire. Funds go to support undocumented and migrant families, including farmworkers who may have lost work when smoke from the Mountain Fire blanketed agricultural fields. Donate online at www.805undocufund.org.