Tick Fire victims to receive repopulation assistance

Residents affected by the recent Tick Fire, which has burned more than 4,600 acres as of Monday, began to slowly repopulate the area, along with assistance from local, county and state agencies.

The Los Angeles County Fire Department is asking residents to stay prepared by keeping food and water available during the repopulation process. Some residents have reported that their gas and power are still turned off.

Fire Capt. A.J. Lester suggested keeping an ice chest ready and plenty of batteries, because utilities may be shut off intermittently.

“That’s kind of one of our big safety messages is that utilities could be turned off and on intermittently,” said Lester. “You just want to really be prepared with food and water and make sure you have an ice chest if you’re afraid your power might get turned off.”

County firefighters reported Sunday the Tick Fire containment has increased to 65%, with 24 homes lost. While they are working to increase containment, residents need to be aware of possible utilities shut off.

Homeowners are also being asked to show identification to gain access to their communities in order to help law enforcement keep property secure.

“A lot of those repopulated areas don’t want random people coming in. There are still people that haven’t been back to their houses,” said Lester. “We don’t want looters, so they actually have to show a valid ID to get in.”

City, county and state officials are scheduled to set up a local assistance center for residents affected by the Tick Fire to learn about resources from the Red Cross, DMV and Department of Public Works.

Homeowners needing to rebuild will have the opportunity to ask questions and get advice from the Contractor’s License Board and Department of Consumer Affairs.

The center is also expected to provide Santa Clarita families services for crisis counseling, sheltering pets and tips to safely clean their home, according to officials.

The local assistance center is scheduled to operate at the city of Santa Clarita Activities Center at 20880 Centre Pointe Parkway in Santa Clarita, Monday, Oct. 30, to Monday, Nov. 4, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Anyone looking for more information can go to https://bit.ly/2pVukCK.