VENTURA, Calif.–As the Southern California wildfires continued to rage over the weekend, the California and Nevada CU League working to assess the impact on all the credit unions involved.
The fast-moving fires have burned more than 158,000 acres across four counties, blackening the air and forcing closures of schools and roadways. As CUToday.info reported, at numerous credit unions had closed branches at different times due to the blazes.
CBC FCU said it has closed its branch in Ventura due to the fire, while Premier America Credit Union has closed a branch in Ventura and another in North Oxnard. On its website Premier America, which said it closed the branches due to heavy smoke in those areas, is urging members to use its online and mobile services to access their accounts and financial information.
The league said it was good news that it had yet to learn of any credit union damage or damage to staff homes.
“We are still in the midst of contacting our member credit unions in the affected areas, and now there are two new fires—in San Diego and Riverside counties,” said spokesperson Tina Ramos-Ingold. “There were a number of credit unions in both Los Angeles and Ventura counties that had to close branches due to the proximity of the fires—bad air quality, or power outages caused by the fires—however, many of those are back open now. So far, we haven’t heard of any credit union staff or volunteer that has lost a home. Not sure about members though.”
Evacuation orders were lifted late Thursday in parts of Los Angeles and Riverside Counties, but the situation remained dire in Ventura County, where 132,000 acres had burned and more than 400 structures were destroyed. That fire, just 10% contained, was spreading Friday and threatening buildings in Carpinteria, Ojai, Santa Paula and Ventura, the New York Times reported.
President Trump on Friday declared an emergency in California and ordered additional federal aid. His declaration, which Gov. Jerry Brown had requested, allows federal agencies to coordinate the relief efforts, the New York Times reported.
“The threat was so severe that for the first time, state officials used the highest category in their color-coded fire hazard warning system. They painted much of Southern California purple on Thursday, for extreme danger, and many people received warnings to be ready to flee. Here’s what to do when you’re preparing to evacuate,” the Times stated.