Wildfires

Wildfires

2025

Southern California Wildfires – California (2025)  

Secretary Becerra used his authority in the Public Health Service Act to declare a public health emergency (PHE) on January 10, 2025, giving us the flexibility to support our beneficiaries in the State of California, effective retrospectively since January 07, 2025. 

Additional information and resources for the Southern California Wildfires (2025):

What DHS and FEMA are doing

Englishhttps://www.fema.gov/california-wildfires
Spanishhttps://www.fema.gov/es/california-wildfires

What the U.S. Government is doing

Englishhttps://www.usa.gov/california-wildfires
Spanishhttps://usa.gov/es/california-incendios-forestales

2023

Wildfires - Hawaii (2023)

Secretary Becerra used his authority in the Public Health Service Act to declare a public health emergency (PHE) on August 11, 2023, giving us the flexibility to support our beneficiaries in Hawaii, effective retrospectively since August 8, 2023. As a result of the continued consequences of the wildfires, a PHE extension has been signed on October 31, 2023, allowing us to continue to support our beneficiaries in Hawaii, for an additional 90 days if needed.

an1135 waiver (PDF) or 

aPHE inquiry (PDF)

2023 State of Hawaii Wildfires (PDF) (8/18/2023)

2022

New Mexico Wildfires 

Secretary Becerra used his authority in the Public Health Service Act to declare a public health emergency (PHE) on May 9, 2022, giving us the flexibility to support our beneficiaries in New Mexico, and renewed on July 4, 2022.

New Mexico guidance:

2020

Oregon wildfires 

Secretary Azar used his authority in the Public Health Service Act to declare a public health emergency (PDF) (PHE) in Oregon on September 16, 2020, giving us the flexibility to support our beneficiaries, effective September 8, 2020.

You can also see:

California wildfires 

Secretary Azar used his authority in the Public Health Service Act to declare a public health emergency (PHE) in California on August 26, 2020, giving us the flexibility to support our beneficiaries, effective August 14, 2020.

California wildfires (2018)

Secretary Azar used his authority in the Public Health Service Act to declare a public health emergency (PHE) in California on November 13, 2018, giving us the flexibility to support our beneficiaries, effective November 8, 2018. Effective, February 6, 2019, the PHE was extended for 90 days.

Read the blanket waivers (PDF) for California wildfires. 

You can also see:

Southern & Northern California wildfires (2017)

Southern California has four large wildfires that continue to impact people and homes. The Thomas Fire in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties is the fifth largest fire in California history. These fires affected critical cellular and public safety communications infrastructure, power transmission and distribution lines, high-pressure natural gas lines, and oil wells. Additionally, the watershed for the cities of Ojai and Ventura were impacted. A Public Health Emergency (PHE) Declaration and a Social Security Act waiver were issued for California on December 11, 2017, with a finding that a public health emergency existed beginning on December 4, 2017. This PHE declaration and waiver authority for the Southern California wildfires expired on March 3, 2018.

Northern California wildfires burned across several California counties, threatening the lives of tens of thousands of people. A Public Health Emergency (PHE) Declaration and a Social Security Act waiver were issued for California on October 15, 2017, with a finding that a public health emergency existed beginning on October 8, 2017. This PHE declaration and waiver authority for the Northern California wildfires expired on January 5, 2018.

Documents:

Related links:

Page Last Modified:
05/28/2025 04:16 PM