County of Sonoma issued the following announcement on Dec. 16.
The deadline for fire survivors to apply for the State of California’s consolidated fire debris removal program has been extended to Jan. 15, 2021 by the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES). The extension provides survivors of the Glass, Meyers, and Walbridge fires an additional 30 days to submit a Right of Entry (ROE) form granting access to the state’s contractor to clean up their property and/or remove fire-damaged hazard trees. The state’s consolidated debris removal program is open to those whose properties were destroyed in the fires and to property owners with fire-impacted trees in danger of falling on public roads and infrastructure. In the state program, there are no out-of-pocket costs to homeowners, regardless of insurance coverage.
Property owners who do not wish to submit a ROE for the state program can instead utilize the private debris removal option. This option allows property owners to hire a properly licensed contractor to complete the work that must comply with standards set forth by the County of Sonoma and City of Santa Rosa, depending on jurisdiction. The deadline to submit the application for private cleanup has also been extended to Jan. 15, 2021 to match the deadline for applying for the state debris removal program. Property owners who wish to hire a private contractor to perform debris removal work on their property will bear the costs associated with Phase 2. If the homeowner has insurance, debris removal costs may be covered under their policy, and it is recommended that owners consult with their insurance carrier to confirm how much of their policy is dedicated to debris removal.
While the deadline to submit paperwork for Phase 2 debris removal has been extended by another month, the city and county urge fire survivors to not delay in applying as the safe and timely removal of fire debris remains critical to protecting property owners, neighborhoods, and the community’s watersheds.
Original source can be found here.
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