You can't be assured of getting the proper assistance and funding from the unbelievably-not-renamed-since-Katrina Federal Emergency Management Agency (they even faked their press conference while SoCal was burning). But if you live in LA or Orange County and suffered damages in the October wildfires, you have until 6 p.m. to apply for federal and state assistance. FEMA reports that 19,000 requests have been filed to date.

Applications can be filed, and their status checked, by calling the Federal Emergency Management Agency at (800) 621-FEMA (3362), or online at www.fema.gov.

For further info on county and state disaster assistance, see this post at the LAFD blog.

Photo by slworking2 via flickr