Summary of DFPI Response to LA Firestorm

Since the firestorm in the Los Angeles area began on January 7, 2025, the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) has actively coordinated relief and resources to support affected Californians. We’re committed to supporting the statewide recovery effort.

Below are some of the key activities.

Mortgage Relief Efforts

On January 6, 2026, Governor Newsom announced additional relief from major national lenders to offer additional forbearance of up to 90 days to LA fire survivors, subject to investor approval and consistent with the terms of the Governor’s January 2025 agreement. Bank of America is now offering qualifying customers up to 2 additional years of forbearance, beyond the initial 12-month period, for those who plan to rebuild their home. The DFPI has also reached out to financial institutions it regulates to secure agreements of additional forbearance of up to 90 days.

Approximately 160 institutions have renewed their commitment to extend relief to those still recovering from the devastating fires.

In Jan 2026, DFPI created a new Consumer Success Stories webpage that showcases how it has helped consumers resolve some of the complaints that arose after the LA wildfires between consumers and various financial institutions that DFPI regulates

On September 22, 2025, Governor Newsom signed into law AB 238, which requires a mortgage lender or servicer to provide up to 12 months of mortgage forbearance to a borrower experiencing financial hardship due to the wildfire disaster. This bill deepens homeowner protections by expanding relief and creating enforceable legal requirements.

AB 238 builds upon the announcement that the state has worked with major lenders to offer mortgage relief to LA firestorm victims. The following federally chartered institutions committed to offering relief: Bank of America, Citi, JPMorgan Chase, U.S. Bank, Wells Fargo, and BMO Bank. In addition, the DFPI confirmed additional commitments from more than 420 financial institutions.

Download the 2025 list of financial institutions (Excel).

Sharing Resources

The DFPI Public Affairs division created dfpi.ca.gov/lafires, a special web hub for Californians affected by the Los Angeles area fires.  This includes but is not limited to resources about mortgage relief and forbearance, guidance on avoiding fraud and scams, and emergency housing

In February 2025, the DFPI Public Affairs division distributed the following printable PDF resources to more than 100 community-based organizations in the Los Angeles area with information about how to access mortgage relief and how to avoid fraud and scams during emergencies.

• Mortgage Relief Resources
• Stay Safe from Fraud and Scams

Prioritizing Consumer Complaints

The DFPI Consumer Services Office established a dedicated task force to manage complaints and support consumers throughout the dispute resolution process.  Since January 2025, DFPI has received 233 consumer complaints regarding mortgage forbearance. 224 of those complaints were resolved, with 9 still in review, and 207, or 92%, were resolved in the consumer’s favor.

Media & Outreach

Our media and outreach teams have continuously educated the media and the public (and media) on a variety of issues related to wildfires.  This includes handling media queries about forbearance and warning the public about bad actors who scam victims with fraudulent claims of loan modifications or deed transfers to a third party.

For example, on Jan. 27, 2025, DFPI outreach specialist Antonia Villasenor gave an on-camera interview in Spanish to NBC Univision Los Angeles about how to best access fire relief resources and avoid scams related to the fires. See the full segment below or on the Telemundo 52 website.

To learn more and stay up to date on the latest information, please visit our website at dfpi.ca.gov/lafires.