LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Federal officials are opening a disaster recovery center this week to assist Lake County residents impacted by the Mendocino Complex, a development aided by the lobbying efforts of California’s members of Congress.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency will operate the center, which will be open daily beginning Tuesday, Aug. 21, at 9460 Main St. in Upper Lake, where the Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake Tribal Community Center is headquartered.

Hours will be 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

FEMA disaster assistance for individuals in Lake County became available last week when President Trump approved an amendment to the presidential disaster declaration of Aug. 4, made at the request of Gov. Jerry Brown.

That amendment added Lake County to the declaration, previously approved for Shasta County, which has been hit hard by the Carr and other fires.

Now at more than 400,000 acres, the Mendocino Complex is the largest wildland fire incident in state history, according to Cal Fire.

Getting the disaster declaration and the accompanying assistance was assisted by a bipartisan effort that included members of California’s Congressional delegation.

On Aug. 7, 2018, Congressman Mike Thompson and Congressman John Garamendi, who represent Lake County in the House of Representatives, along with Rep. Jared Huffman led a bipartisan group in sending a letter to President Trump asking him to immediately grant California’s request for a major disaster declaration for the destructive wildfires that hit Lake, Mendocino and Napa counties over the previous two weeks.

Twenty-six members of the California delegation – both Republicans and Democrats – signed the letter, including Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi.

“These catastrophic fires are a disaster of major scope and consequence. Therefore, we strongly support the State of California’s request for a major disaster declaration for these communities,” the letter said.

Some of the factors considered in determining eligibility for federal disaster assistance include localized impacts, insurance coverage in force, hazard mitigation and recent multiple disasters within a 12-month period, according to federal guidelines.

On its own, Lake County may not have met the federal threshold for assistance as had been the case with the 2015 Valley fire, officials said.

Instead, the group approached its request by linking the Mendocino Complex to other wildland fires around the region.

“The Mendocino Complex fire was part of a larger fire event,” Thompson told Lake County News.

“The nexus between the different fires was the weather system that really caused these fires to get out of control so quickly and burn so much,” he said.

Still it was a challenge getting Lake County added into the declaration. “We lobbied hard,” Thompson said.

He said local officials provided the data they needed. “We had to make our case to the administration,” he said. “It took longer than a lot of us thought it should.”

While individual assistance is now in hand, there’s another piece pending, Thompson said.

“We still have to get the administration to approve our request for public assistance. I think that will be forthcoming,” he said, noting that it’s also a threshold issue.

Public assistance will help local governments address costs incurred during the disaster as well as make repairs to facilities and infrastructure, he said.

“We sustained quite a cost,” said Thompson.

He said every person associated with local or county government was out working on the fire to keep people safe. In addition, the inmates in the Lake County Jail has to be evacuated and housed out-of-county.

And just what the total cost will be to Lake County isn’t yet known, as the fire is still actively burning.

“The public assistance part is going to be very important,” said Thompson, noting it’s a grant not a loan.

In the meantime, residents and business owners in Lake County who suffered damage or losses from the Mendocino Complex can register for disaster assistance with FEMA either at the disaster assistance center, online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by phone at 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585. Applicants who use 711 or Video Relay Service may call 800-621-3362.

The toll-free numbers are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.

Thompson’s office has created a resource guide with information for individuals and businesses to apply for assistance. Find it here.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.