Nerdy takeaways
- Contact FEMA, local agencies or 211 for help finding shelter, recovery centers and other immediate assistance
- Apply for available financial assistance
- Contact insurers, lenders and student loan servicers as soon as possible
- Use credit strategically and make a plan to pay off debt
Massive wildfires, hurricanes, floods and other natural disasters can upend lives in an instant. Unwinding the financial damage, though, can take many months.
This year, more than 6 million acres have burned in the U.S. according to the National Interagency Fire Center, and wildfire season isn't over yet.
If you or someone you know is affected, here’s how you can get help and be strategic with your resources as you begin to rebuild.
Deal with immediate needs first
First things first: Contact the Federal Emergency Management Agency to get help via a Disaster Recovery Center by texting “DRC” and your ZIP code to 43362. Texting “Apple” or “Android” to that same number will give you a download link for a mobile app from FEMA with additional resources, such as shelter locations.
If no FEMA centers are listed, contact your state or local emergency management agency to find nearby recovery or assistance centers. Nongovernmental groups such as the Red Cross, can also help. Call 211 from any phone or visit 211.org to get information.
Check your credit card or hotel loyalty accounts as well. You might have points or a free night certificate that can cover the cost of your immediate lodging.
Some general rewards credit cards allow you to use points to book hotels directly through their own travel portals or let you transfer points to a specific hotel loyalty program. Some nearby hotels might offer discounts for evacuees as well.
Next, tend to financial issues
As soon as possible, turn to handling your finances. FEMA offers unemployment assistance, rental assistance, legal services and much more. You have several ways to register, including online at DisasterAssistance.gov, via the FEMA app, at a Disaster Recovery Center or by phone at 800-621-3362 (FEMA).
Nonprofit credit counseling agency Money Management International has a free program called Project Porchlight that helps disaster survivors navigate unfamiliar processes, stay on top of deadlines and address the trauma that makes handling tasks harder.
And you do have several tasks to handle:
Contact insurers as soon as possible
Act quickly so you can get the most out of your home insurance, renters coverage or auto insurance.
Review your policies for types of damage covered, coverage limits and deductibles.
Home and renters insurance policies typically don’t cover flood damage, so if you have flood insurance, check that policy as well. Ice, snow and wind damage to your car are typically covered as long as you have comprehensive insurance on your auto policy.
Report damage to your agent or insurance company as soon as possible. Insurers will face a glut of claims, so the sooner you file, the better.
Ask your insurer:
- How long do I have to file a claim, and how long will the process take?
- Will the claim will exceed my deductible?
- Will I need repair estimates for any structural damage?
- Are living expenses covered if I'm displaced? What about a rental car or the loss of spoiled food?
When you talk to your insurer, ask what you can throw out and what you should document for your claim. Take photos and video of the damage, then do what you can to protect your property. Take detailed notes about every interaction you have with the insurance company.
Call your mortgage company and other creditors
If you’re worried about your ability to make monthly mortgage payments, contact your mortgage servicer as soon as possible — ideally before missing a payment — to discuss your options.
Mortgage forbearance is a way to avoid foreclosure and may allow you to make partial payments or pause payments entirely for an agreed-upon period of time.
Communicate proactively with creditors, said Bruce McClary, spokesperson for the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, in an email interview.
Blocked roads and power, internet or phone outages can hinder paying on time.
“Once your creditor is aware of these things, they may be able to offer some temporary payment relief,” McClary said. Hardship programs may waive fees or lower your interest rate for a time.
Because cash is king in areas where power and communication are disrupted, you might have to use your credit card to get cash from an ATM. Just be aware that typically carries a higher interest rate, McClary said.
Seek a student loan payment pause, and contact your college for aid
Federal student loan borrowers can get a natural disaster forbearance, which can pause or reduce your payments if they have been affected by a federally declared natural disaster.
Interest still accrues on your debt while you’re in this forbearance, increasing the amount you’ll owe in the future.
Payment relief options for private student loan borrowers vary by lender. Call your lender to ask about options.
If you’re a current student and you or your family’s finances were affected, contact your school’s financial aid office and ask them to reassess your financial aid eligibility due to changed circumstances.
You may also want to apply for more immediate money through your school’s emergency financial aid fund. If you’re displaced, notify your school's financial aid office (or your student loan servicer) of your change in residence.
Be strategic with aid, credit and debt as you dig out
“Rebuilding and repairing after a disaster can be incredibly expensive, even for those with insurance,” says Kate Bulger, vice president of business development for Money Management International.
“Applying for as much aid as possible and preserving cash today means that consumers will have more funds left when they are ready to rebuild.”
When you exhaust aid and your emergency fund, you might need to rely on credit to afford necessities or repair damage.
Some major card issuers are making it easier (and cheaper) to turn your available credit line into an installment loan, often at a lower ongoing interest rate. You might also be allowed to break up a large emergency purchase into monthly payments.
When your debt picture becomes clearer, pick a payoff strategy. The debt snowball, where you pay off your smallest balance first while making minimum payments on other debts, can give you some quick wins and motivation.
NerdWallet writers and editors Caitlin Constantine, Meghan Coyle, Eliza Haverstock, Lauren Schwahn and Kate Wood contributed to this article.
Article sources
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- 1.National Interagency Fire Center. The National Significant Wildland Fire Potential Outlook . Accessed Aug 4, 2026.
