The Valley Fire destroyed 30 homes and damaged several more. 2 people were hurt. At one point, more than 1,400 people were under evacuation due to the blaze's spread
Victims of the September's 16,000-acre Valley Fire in San Diego's East County can now apply for federal aid after the Trump Administration approved California's application for disaster relief funds for wildfires across the state, the Governor's Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) announced.
San Diego County is among seven California counties receiving federal assistance from the state's Major Disaster Declaration request submitted on Sept. 28. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) may be able to provide eligible applicants with grants to pay for rent, home repair, medical costs, or other disaster-related expenses.
Applicants will be asked to provide a Social Security Number, insurance policy information, some other personal information and a description of their fire-related damage.
Federal major disaster declarations allow for cost-sharing for damage, cleanup and rebuilding between the state and federal governments. They also activate relief programs led by FEMA.
White House spokesman Judd Deere previously said California’s disaster declaration request “was not supported by the relevant data” needed for approval. He initially said Trump agreed with Federal Emergency Management Agency administrator Pete Gaynor, who said in a three-paragraph rejection letter that the damage “was not of such severity and magnitude as to be beyond the (state's) capabilities.”
The state had planned to appeal the denial and believed it had a strong case, Brian Ferguson, a spokesman with the governor’s Office of Emergency Services, said before the reversal.
The 30-page request described the disasters and pointed out that damage assessments were incomplete because the fires were still raging and access was difficult.
It has been a disastrous wildfire season in California, with more than 8,500 blazes burning more than 6,400 square miles (16,000 square kilometers) since the start of the year. Thirty-one people have died and some 9,200 buildings have been destroyed.
The fire spread quickly and evacuations were ordered almost immediately. At one point, it forced as many as 1,420 people to leave their homes. The fast-moving fire destroyed 30 homes and 31 outbuildings -- and damaged several more -- in its early days. Two people were injured.
The cause of the Valley Fire is under investigation.
Steven Luke
A sign reads "Thank you Cal Fire" amid the Valley Fire on September 9, 2020.
Steven Luke
Another sign reads "Looters will be shot" amid the Valley Fire on September 9, 2020.
NBC 7
A warm-colored haze lingers over the sky in San Diego’s East County.
NBC 7
Dry lands and brush are what’s left following the fire’s unforgiving path.
Ashley Matthews
A horse rests at a temporary evacuation site for equines. More than 1,000 residents of San Diego’s East County have been evacuated due to the Valley Fire.
Melissa Adan
All that’s left of this East County home is rubble. The blaze consumed the urn of a loved one, priceless photographs of family members and everything a family had.
Joe Little
NBC 7 reporter Joe Little discovered "Dead Dolly Lane" while surveying the Valley Fire's destruction in the East County on September 8, 2020.
Audra Stafford
NBC 7 reporter Audra Stafford was surveying the destruction of the Valley Fire in Lawson Valley on September 8, 2020, and this is all that’s left of one family’s home.
Audra Stafford
Audra Stafford
Joe Little, NBC 7
A hand crew marches uphill as they fight the Valley Fire in east San Diego County.
Joe Little, NBC 7
Acres of burnt land left behind by the Valley Fire.
NBC 7
Hand crews lay fire house while battling the Valley Fire.
Joe Little, NBC 7
A wildfire warning sign in east San Diego County.
Lakeside Fire Protection District
The Lakeside Fire District posted this photo on Sept. 6, 2020, of Fire Engineer Danny Leetch. The picture was taken after "26 hours straight on the fire line and fighting fire in over 108 degree heat."
Lakeside Fire Protection District
Lakeside firefighters battle Valley Fire on September 7, 2020.
Joe Little, NBC 7
Lawson Valley resident Dan Cassidy watches the Valley Fire from afar. Cassidy chose to ignore evacuation orders and stay home and protect his property.
Joe Little, NBC 7
Dangling power lines charred by the Valley Fire.
Bill Feather, NBC 7
Flames crawl up a slope near the Lawson Peak Trailhead along Lyons Valley Road during day 2 of the Valley Fire.
Bill Feather, NBC 7
A Lakeside Fire Protection District Engine protecting a structure along Japatul Road.
Bill Feather, NBC 7
Tanker 914 making a successful fire retardant drop along the Northern edge of the fire along Japatul Road, in the area east of Loveland Reservoir.
Bill Feather, NBC 7
Global Supertanker 944 makes a fire retardant drop over Horsethief Canyon along Lyons Valley Road during day 2 of the Valley Fire.
Bill Feather, NBC 7
Global Supertanker 944 makes a fire retardant drop over Horsethief Canyon along Lyons Valley Road during day 2 of the Valley Fire.
Melissa Adan/NBC 7
Flames along Lyons Valley Road near Alpine, the site of the Valley Fire.
Melissa Adan/NBC 7
Burn areas along Lyons Valley Road near Alpine, the site of the Valley Fire.
Melissa Adan/NBC 7
Burn areas along Lyons Valley Road near Alpine, the site of the Valley Fire.
leela
A viewer named leela sent this photo to NBC 7, saying this was the view from her parachute of the Valley Fire smoke on Sept. 5, 2020.
San Diego County Sheriff's Department/Twitter
The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department shared this photo of the Valley Fire on Twitter on Sept. 6, 2020.
San Diego County Sheriff's Department
Smoke from the Valley Fire on Sept. 6, 2020.
NBC 7
A road leads to the relentless Valley Fire. Various road closures are in effect as crews respond to the blaze.
NBC 7
Bright flames could be seen coming from the blaze.
NBC 7
A large cloud of smoke is seen as a result of the blaze.
Ramon Galindo
Firefighters look at smoke from the Valley Fire from a distance.
NBC 7
Smoke is seen coming from the Valley Fire on its second day of burning.
NBC 7
An NBC 7 crew shot this image as they were near the flames.
Viewer, Ron Nehring, posted some pictures of his property in Crest on Old Mountain View Road.
Viewer, Ron Nehring, posted some pictures of his property in Crest on Old Mountain View Road
Viewer, Ron Nehring, posted some pictures of his property in Crest on Old Mountain View Road
Ruston Grau
NBC 7 Producer, Ruston Grau captured this picture near his home from Fletcher Hills.
Mark Mullen
NBC 7 Anchor Mark Mullen captured this plume of smoke as a hot air balloon rode by.
Steve Williams
Steve Williams was in a Southwest plane flying over the Valley Fire Saturday afternoon, about 4 p.m., he says.
Steve Williams was in a Southwest plane flying over the Valley Fire Saturday afternoon, about 4 p.m., he says.
NBC 7 anchor Monica Dean captured the plume of smoke.
Cal Fire San Diego
Cal Fire San Diego tweeted this photo at 5:52 p.m. saying the fire was at 1,500 acres
Greg Stickney/NBC 7
Ash from the Valley Fire seen in Eastlake over Labor Day weekend.
Arturo Salcedo
NBC 7 viewer Arturo Salcedo captured the “red glow” in National City as the Valley Fire burned way out in East County.
Rodney Jackson
NBC 7 viewer Rodney Jackson saw smoke in San Marcos.
Caitlin Daniel
Caitlin Daniel captured this image of smoke from the Valley Fire over El Cajon at sunrise on Sept. 6, 2020.
Lauren Finch
“This was taken on top of a hill in Poway,” said Lauren Finch. “Lots of smoke can been seen from the Valley Fire from here in East county.”
