The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has announced expanded support for residents affected by the ongoing wildfires in Southern California. This action follows Governor Gavin Newsom’s State of Emergency and Executive Order, with the department taking steps to help communities recover.
“Across our entire department, our teams are working toward the shared goal of supporting Californians impacted by these wildfires and easing their pain in whatever ways possible,” said CDPH Director and State Public Health Officer, Dr. Tomás Aragón. “Public health isn’t just about supporting physical health, but also mental health, document recovery, food supply, logistics, recovery safety, and other essential needs.”
To centralize information for those affected by the fires, CDPH has launched an online resource at go.cdph.ca.gov/wildfires.
In response to challenges faced by healthcare facilities during evacuations and surges in demand, CDPH has coordinated with local public health teams to ensure safe transfers of over 130 long-term care residents. The department is also working with 120 facilities to assess capacity needs. Blanket approval has been issued for hospitals and care facilities in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties to quickly expand bed capacity—even in areas not traditionally used for patient rooms—allowing them to better serve evacuated patients. Facilities have received guidance on submitting additional waiver requests related to fire- or windstorm-induced staffing shortages.
For those who have lost important documents such as birth or marriage certificates due to the fires, CDPH is waiving all replacement fees. Requests can be processed within two to three days, with expanded services available at Disaster Recovery Centers and Local Assistance Centers throughout Southern California.
The Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program remains accessible for families displaced by the fires. WIC participants who have lost their cards or benefits are encouraged to contact their local office or use MyFamily.WIC.ca.gov to find assistance nearby.
CDPH staff are present in affected regions working alongside local, state, and federal partners to address environmental risks from fire aftermath—including soil, air, water quality issues—and provide guidance on debris safety.
Emergency response efforts include activation of the Emergency Prescription Assistance Program so wildfire survivors can fill prescriptions or access medical equipment through participating pharmacies. Resource requests have also been made for personal protective equipment like N95 respirators and comfort kits.
Mental health resources are being shared via CalHOPE Emotional Support Services and programs specifically designed for youth and families impacted by disaster-related trauma.
Additional information on air quality updates is available through resources such as the California Air Resources Board (https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/) and AirNow.gov (https://www.airnow.gov/). Residents can check evacuation orders and recovery resources on the Los Angeles County Wildfires Resources Page (https://ready.lacounty.gov/wildfire/), while broader state-level information is centralized at CA.gov/LAfires (https://www.ca.gov/Lafires).
Covered California recently introduced a special enrollment period lasting until March 8, 2025 for Los Angeles and Ventura county residents impacted by wildfires; this effort targets uninsured individuals eligible for subsidies or Medi-Cal coverage. Of California’s 1.3 million uninsured who qualify statewide, about 356,000 reside in Southern California.
California agencies have published guides on disaster assistance—including materials tailored for immigrants (https://www.cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/immigration/covid-19-guide-for-immigrant-californians), individuals with disabilities (https://scdd.ca.gov/emergencyprep/), older adults (https://aging.ca.gov/download.ashx?lE0rcNUVZpYqV7GvqlFStw==), managed healthcare enrollees (https://www.dmhc.ca.gov/Portals/0/Docs/Publications/DisasterResourceGuide.pdf), as well as Q&A from the Department of Health Care Services regarding disaster aid (https://www.dhcs.ca.gov/services/Documents/DHCS-Disaster-Assistance-QA.pdf).
Those seeking child care can use mychildcareplan.org (https://mychildcareplan.org/) while benefits management including food assistance or cash aid is available through BenefitsCal portal (https://benefitscal.com/).
Individuals or business owners who sustained losses may apply for disaster assistance online at DisasterAssistance.gov (https://disasterassistance.gov/) or call FEMA at 800-621-3362; support is provided in over 40 languages.
