As firefighters gained more ground on the constellation of destructive Northern California wildfires, Sonoma County officials declared that the deadly disaster is shifting from a frantic emergency to what’s likely to be a long and painful recovery.
The bottom floor of the Santa Rosa Press Democrat is a small window into the scale of the catastrophe and what’s to come. What was once a vast warren of converted office space is now home to Federal Emergency Management Agency disaster assistance, passport services, the Department of Motor Vehicles, the U.S. Post Office and scores of other federal, state and county agencies.
Chris Mocney made his first visit Wednesday to register for assistance from FEMA.
“You put yourself in the loop and make yourself eligible for any assistance you may need,” said Mocney, standing in line with a few dozen other people, many of whom raced from burning neighborhoods with little more than what they could scoop up and the possessions already in their cars.
Mocney’s house was among those that burned.