North Bay Fires: PG&E Trust Prepares To Award Claims

NAPA COUNTY, CA — The PG&E Fire Victim Trust — FVT— announced Thursday it will start sending claims determination notices Feb. 15 to residents of Napa County who've submitted claims for losses suffered in the 2017 North Bay fires.

The notices, which will also be sent to claimants in the 2015 Butte Fire and the 2018 Camp Fire, will indicate a total monetary value for all claims the person or household asserted in their claims questionnaire. The determination notices are sent to fire victims' attorneys or to claimants directly if they did not hire legal representation.

The Butte Fire, North Bay Fires and Camp Fire burned 400,000 acres, destroying 10s of thousands of homes and other structures. The North Bay fires of 2017 alone claimed 44 lives, burned more than 200,000 acres and destroyed 5,300 homes in Napa, Sonoma, Lake, Mendocino and Solano counties. In the aftermath of each fire, thousands of people sought refuge in their vehicles, emergency tent communities or FEMA camps. Many remain displaced.

"The extent of the disruption and devastation the fires caused to communities, families, individuals and businesses cannot be overstated," said FVT Claims Administrator Cathy Yanni. "Getting the Claims Determination Notices out is an important step toward getting the Fire Victims paid and bringing some closure to what has been a horrific experience for so many."

Determination notices will be sent on a rolling basis as claims questionnaires are processed and evaluated. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the deadline to submit claims questionnaires was extended by two months from Dec. 31, 2020, to Feb. 26, 2021.

In a four-page letter recently sent to fire victims, FVT Trustee Justice John Trotter said the trust intends to start sending partial payments March 15 and every two weeks thereafter.

"People lost family members, beautiful homes, irreplaceable belongings, and successful businesses. Many lost hope, too," Trotter said. "It’s difficult to imagine the degree of uncertainty with which Fire Victims have had to live. We are hopeful that having their Determination Notices in hand will at least provide them with the certainty that their claims have been thoroughly and accurately reviewed, and that the Trust is prepared to begin making payments."

To date, the FVT has received 30,000 claims questionnaires representing a total of 54,400 fire victims, most of whom have multiple claims. Ultimately, the FVT expects to make payouts to as many as 80,000 fire victims for as many as 400,000 claims.

Trustees said anyone who is having difficulty completing the questionnaire or has questions about the process should immediately contact the Fire Victim Trust at 888-664-1152 or info@firevictimtrust.com.