After The Fire USA

04/25/2026

After disaster, communities can and do recover, rebuild, and reimagine. Maui is a great example of creating change for the people after devastating loss.

04/24/2026

We are thrilled to announce that the 2026 Wildfire Leadership Summit, hosted by After the Fire USA, is on the horizon — and registration opens May 1st.

This year’s theme, When Crisis Hits, Community Leads: Building What Comes Next, Together, reflects the heart of everything we do. As megafires continue to reshape communities across the nation, the need for bold, connected, and community-driven leadership has never been greater. This summit remains the only national event offering a 360-degree perspective on wildfire, spanning prevention, preparedness, response, recovery, and resilience.

This is an invitation-only event, with each seat thoughtfully curated to ensure intentional collaboration and meaningful connection. Space is extremely limited.

Mark your calendars: Registration opens May 1st.

Interested in supporting this work and gaining visibility among the most forward-thinking leaders in wildfire recovery? Sponsorship opportunities are available now. Reach out to us at [email protected].

Stay tuned for announcements and speaker lineup.

04/24/2026

After the Fire USA and SBP California Resilience Fellow Valerie Brown was honored to represent California VOAD at the 2026 California 211 Disaster Ready and Resilient I&R Conference in Sacramento, CA. Alongside Interface Children & Family Services’ CIO Kelly Brown, she addressed 211 representatives from across the state on the power of cooperation, communication, coordination, and collaboration between local VOADs and 211s — and on serving hidden communities through creative cooperation.

Because collaboration doesn’t just happen. It’s built through relationships and trust.

04/23/2026

🚨 Action Needed: Disaster Tax Relief Moving to a Vote

The Doug LaMalfa Federal Disaster Tax Relief Certainty Act (H.R. 5366) is expected to come to the House floor for a vote on Monday.

This bipartisan bill brings long-overdue stability to disaster tax relief—helping survivors of wildfires and other federally declared disasters deduct losses and avoid being taxed on compensation meant to help them recover.

At a time when families are still struggling to rebuild—and some are at risk of losing healthcare and critical benefits—this legislation matters.

👉 Take 2 minutes to help:

📞 Call Speaker Mike Johnson’s office
(202) 225-2777
Thank him for bringing H.R. 5366 to the floor.

📞 Call your Member of Congress
Thank them for supporting disaster survivors and urge a YES vote.

📞 Call Senate leadership and urge immediate action:

- Senate Majority Leader John Thune: (202) 224-2321
- Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer: (202) 224-6542

Ask them to take this bill up immediately in the Senate.

This is about fairness.
This is about recovery.
And this is about making sure disaster survivors aren’t penalized for trying to rebuild.

Link to schedule below



https://docs.house.gov/floor/Default.aspx?date=2026-04-27

04/23/2026

This is exactly the type of investment in the workforce necessary to rebuild after the Eaton and Palisades Fires.

Train the existing population to rebuild their communities while also providing a pathway to a career.

Community Colleges are vital to our hard and soft infrastructure systems. They fill a gap that is too often under-appreciated. Their ability to pivot to meet the needs of the community is unparalleled.

Bravo to the State of California for this investment in CCC.

"Last year, the state awarded five Los Angeles community colleges a total of $5 million to train more workers who can help rebuild from the Palisades and Eaton fires. The money only recently arrived at Los Angeles Trade-Technical College, where it will fund supplies and new curricula for students who are entering the construction industry. Pasadena City College, a few miles northeast of Los Angeles Trade-Tech, is using part of the money to build a 55,000-square-foot center for construction training."

Los Angeles has an acute shortage of qualified construction workers as the region tries to rebuild from the Eaton and Palisades Fires.

04/23/2026

Strong, bipartisan support continues to build for the Doug LaMalfa Federal Disaster Tax Relief Certainty Act (H.R. 5366). Please see link to Ways and Means House Committee.

Voices matter. Speak up. Write. Call.

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) called H.R. 5366 “timely and necessary relief… while strengthening resilience.”

“On behalf of After the Fire USA … we express our strong support for H.R. 5366,” said Jennifer Gray Thompson, MPA, Founder & CEO

Bipartisan Policy Center Action (BPC Action) President, Michele Stockwell, noted the bill provides “much-needed relief and certainty” by allowing survivors to claim losses without itemizing and ensuring relief payments aren’t taxed as income.

“Mahalo for your leadership… supporting those on the long road to recovery,” said Mayor Richard T. Bissen, Jr., County of Maui

Fire Safe Communities, Ralph Bloemers emphasized it “recognizes recovery doesn’t follow a fixed timeline… and treats compensation as recovery, not income.”

From rural Oregon, the Santiam Canyon Long Term Recovery Group President Deana Freres highlighted “a prolonged and uneven path to recovery… communities still rebuilding.”

The Eaton Fire Collaborative PIO Bree Jensen, MA shared they are “supporting thousands of individuals and families navigating complex recovery.”

“On behalf of Marshall Together… we strongly support H.R. 5366,” said Reina Pomeroy, MSW, PCC, President, Marshall Together.

Florida Citrus Mutual added the bill provides “much-needed tax relief for growers and others impacted by disasters.”
From national leaders to grassroots recovery groups, the message is consistent: recovery takes years. Policy should reflect that.

Let's do this.



https://waysandmeans.house.gov/2026/04/21/what-they-are-saying-ways-and-means-legislation-provides-key-supports-for-survivors-of-sexual-assault-and-natural-disasters-early-childhood-educators-taxpayers/

04/23/2026

04/21/2026

We are so proud to be at cheering on our colleague and friend, Dr. Adrienne Heinz, on the panel “Creative Climate Communication: Reimagining the Climate Narrative.”

Adrienne is a Research Psychologist at the VA National Center for PTSD and Stanford University, a National Science Foundation Climate and Health Scholar, Co-founder of The After Collective, and one of our most trusted partners. She’s traveled with After the Fire USA on delegations to Los Angeles and Maui as our disaster mental health specialist, and she brings wisdom and heart to everything she does.

She reminded today’s audience that grief isn’t something we overcome. We move with it. We coexist with it. And even in the face of disaster, humans show up for each other in extraordinary ways.

She even quoted a phrase we use every day in this work: “Worst club. Best people.”

That’s the community we’re all a part of. We’re honored to be in it together.

04/20/2026

After spending 3 years advocating for the first disaster tax relief bill, we are now pushing for the extension to cover Maui, Eaton, Oregon, and Marshall Fire survivors. We will not rest until this is done.

Associated Press
4.20.2026
***********************
Florida Rep. Greg Steube — a Republican who championed the 2024 tax relief bill and introduced its successor with fellow Republican Rep. Doug LaMalfa, now deceased, and with Democratic Reps. Mike Thompson and Jimmy Panetta of California — told The Associated Press he expects the legislation to ultimately pass, but he acknowledged “the exact timeline remains uncertain.”

[...]

After lobbying for the past and present bills as executive director of the survivor advocacy nonprofit After The Fire USA Jennifer Gray Thompson said she believes lawmakers understand the bipartisan nature of disaster tax relief.

“As these disasters come in quick succession, we are going to have to adapt on all levels, and our tax code will have to adapt along with it,” she said.

{...}

Gray Thompson cautioned that while survivors waiting for relief can defer taxes or amend past returns, resolving issues with government programs, such as qualifying for college financial aid, is much harder. “There’s no way to undo that,” she said.

Call your Congressional Reps & Senators. Demand they support HR 5366. Track Here: https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/119/hr5366/text

https://apnews.com/article/eaton-fire-disaster-relief-settlement-taxes-0d40f556a63992816c27e307b9282c47

Thousands of survivors of the 2025 Eaton Fire in California are accepting settlements from the utility accused of causing it.

04/10/2026

Last week, our Reva Feldman joined Aloha in Laguna Beach and Santa Barbara for a screening of Lahaina: Voices of Change, a powerful documentary sharing the lived experiences of those impacted by the Maui fires.

Reva moderated panel discussions following the film, helping to create space for honest conversation around recovery, resilience, and what it truly takes to rebuild after disaster.

We are grateful to Lele Aloha for bringing these important stories forward and to our friend Archie Kaleppa for his leadership and advocacy. It meant a great deal to be in community with those continuing to navigate the long road of recovery, while also working to ensure other communities are better prepared for what lies ahead.

Thank you for allowing us to listen, learn, and stand alongside you.

04/09/2026

At the ClimateTech Connect conference in Washington, D.C., we are spending two days in the room with people who are actively trying to solve the hardest problems facing our communities right now.

Grateful to Angela Grant and Palomar for hosting us.

After The Fire USA is represented by CEO Jennifer Gray Thompson, ATF SBP Fellow Valerie Brown, and Patty Ratermann—CEO & Co-Founder of PostFire and an Eaton Fire survivor whose lived experience is driving real innovation.

It is also great to reconnect with longtime colleagues & friends like Pete Gaynor, Dan Kaniewski, and Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety - IBHS Michael Newman and to make new connections along the way.

Here’s what stood out:

- Rising insurance premiums aren’t just about climate; they reflect gaps in decision-making, planning, and risk alignment.
- Many of today’s disasters are fundamentally water problems; too much, too little, or failing infrastructure.
- Markets are starting to respond to real risk, but without better data, pricing, and building practices, the system won’t hold.
- The most effective solutions are local, collaborative, and cross-sector; not one-size-fits-all.
- This is not a “silver bullet” problem. It’s a “silver buckshot” one.

One quote that stuck with us:
“Society was built for a climate that no longer exists.”

And this:
“Anytime we’ve seen real change, it’s grassroots—builders, realtors, capital markets, and local officials in a room, egos checked at the door.”

That’s exactly the work ahead. Easier said than done, we know. But we are made for this moment.

We’re encouraged to see leaders across insurance, resilience, and climate sectors ready to collaborate, test new approaches, and rethink how we reduce risk in this new era.

04/02/2026

Announcing The Starbucks Foundation as a sponsor of the 2026 Wildfire Leadership Summit.

We are grateful for their support of organizations working on the front lines of disaster response and long-term recovery. Their investment in community resilience helps ensure that local leaders and wildfire survivors have the resources and partnerships needed to rebuild and move forward.

Thank you to The Starbucks Foundation for supporting the Wildfire Leadership Summit and for their continued commitment to communities recovering after wildfire.