Grants available for Soldiers affected by California wildfires

Army Emergency Relief | Sept. 11, 2024

Effective Sept. 11, 2024, Army Emergency Relief Headquarters approved disaster assistance grants to eligible individuals impacted by the California wildfires.

The Line Fire, Bridge Fire, Airport Fire and Coyote Fire continue to burn thousands of acres in southern California. Over 36,000 structures, including single and multi-family homes, commercial buildings and others, are threatened by the wildfires, and thousands have been forced to evacuate in San Bernardino, Riverside and Los Angeles counties.

Many Army Families in these counties and surrounding counties may experience displacement due to the impacts of the wildfire. Eligible Army personnel may be provided financial assistance to assist with expenses associated with basic essential needs to sustain oneself during and after the wildfire.

Those eligible for AER assistance include:

Soldiers on active duty and their eligible Family members
Soldiers retired from active duty because of longevity and their eligible Family members
retired Army Reserve and National Guard Soldiers receiving retired pay and their Family members
Medically retired Soldiers and their dependents, including those placed on the Permanent Disability Retired List or Temporary Disability Retirement List
Surviving spouses and children of Soldiers who died while on active duty (including those on Title 10 Orders) or in an eligible retired status
Members of the Reserve Component of the Army (National Guard and Army Reserve under Title 10 U.S.C) on continuous active duty for more than 30 consecutive days and their eligible Family members

Additionally, disaster assistance eligibility has been extended to individuals who have been impacted by the California wildfires. These individuals are normally not eligible for AER assistance:

“Grey Area” retired Soldiers of the Reserve Components (Army National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve)
Title 10, Title 32, and TPU Army National Guard and Army Reserve Soldiers who are not mobilized
Title 10, Title 32, and TPU Army National Guard and Army Reserve Soldiers mobilized for less than 30 consecutive days
Title 10, Title 32, and TPU Army National Guard and Army Reserve Soldiers activated in support of the California wildfire relief efforts

For more information on the California fires, visit the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Image of “fire clouds” above the Line Fire in California on Sept. 9, 2024. The smoke from this fire, as well as others in the area, is making the air quality dangerous for some people. (NASA Earth Observatory images by Lauren Dauphin, using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey.)

How to get help:

Within 50 miles of Fort Johnson, Louisiana (formerly Fort Polk): contact the AER office there at (337) 531-1957
Within 50 miles of a Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society location can contact that local office
Outside the 50-mile radius of an Army installation or Navy/Marine Corps base: contact the American Red Cross at 1-877-272-7337

RELATED NEWS: