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Deadline For FEMA Passed, Some Help Still Available

Madeline Smith walks between what was the living room and laundry room of her house in Talent, Ore., south of Medford. She has been picking through the rubble looking for anything that can be salvaged after wildfire tore through her home.
Madeline Smith walks between what was the living room and laundry room of her house in Talent, Ore., south of Medford. She has been picking through the rubble looking for anything that can be salvaged after wildfire tore through her home.

Many Oregonians were eligible for federal aid after wildfires hit the region. Although the deadline to apply for federal disaster relief has passed, some help is still available.

The deadline for wildfire survivors to apply for Federal disaster assistance was November 30.

La-Tanga Hopes is with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. She says that no one eligible for assistance will be turned away.

“What we’re hearing is that people are thinking, ‘does that mean that now if I do apply for assistance will I get a prorated amount? Does that mean that there’s nothing available for me?’" said Hopes. "What we wanted to do was simply arrest the public from any concern that FEMA is not going to be here for the long haul.”

FEMA is working with the Oregon Office of Emergency Management to provide legal services, home repair advice and crisis counseling.

“Now that we’ve moved on from the disaster assistance registration deadline, we still have other products that we’re offering that usually help with the recovery process," said Hopes. "We do know that there are certain products that go along with supporting that endeavor, as well.”

People who were denied eligibility for disaster assistance can still appeal the decision, even though the deadline has passed. Late applications will be accepted on a case-by-case basis.