California Wildfires: State Offers Tax Relief For Impacted Business

SACRAMENTO, CA — The California Department of Tax and Fee Administration will waive fees and interest payments on a large swath of taxes for businesses who have been affected by the state's devastating wildfires.

The administration announced the tax relief plan Thursday as the fires consumed tens of thousands of acres of California land and killed at least 26 people, according to officials.

"Business owners and other tax and fee payers affected by these fires may request extensions to file returns and relief from penalties and/or interest," the administration said in a press release. (For more information on the wildfires, subscribe to the Sacramento Patch for free and receive daily newsletter and breaking news alerts.)

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Gov. Brown declared a state of emergency for Solano County, Napa, Sonoma, Yuba, Butte, Lake, Mendocino, Nevada and Orange counties on Wednesday.

"With multiple fires burning across the state and major impacts to property and critical infrastructure, the [State Operations Center] is activated at its highest level," the governor's office said.

Businesses can seek relief from the following taxes and fees online or at CDTFA’s Customer Service Center at 1-800-400-7115:

• Sales and Use Taxes
• Lead-Acid Battery Fee
• Oil Spill Response Administration Fee
• Lumber Products Assement
• Underground Storage Tank Maintenance Fee
• Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Fee
• Natural Gas Surcharge
• Energy Resource Surcharge
• Energy Resources Surcharge
• Integrated Waste Management Fee
• Occupational Lead Poisoning Prevention Fee
• Emergency Telephone Users Surcharge
• Covered Electronic Waste Recycling (eWaste) Fee
• Cigarettes and Tobacco Products Taxes and Licensing
• Marine Invasive Species Fee (Ballast Water Management Fee)
• Water Rights Fee
• California Tire Fee
• Fuel Taxes (Diesel Fuel Tax, Interstate User Tax, Use Fuel Tax, Motor Vehicle Fuel Tax, Jet Fuel Tax)
• Hazardous Substances Fees (Environmental Fee, Generator Fee, Disposal Fee, Facility Fee)
• Mobile Telephony Surcharge
• Timber Yield Tax

Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images