The Southland Firestorm: A Special Report : The Recovery : GENERAL INFORMATION

* Public Firestorm Hot Line

(800) 525-0321

This number has been set up for information about crisis counseling, loans, taxes, federal and state disaster assistance, and Red Cross shelters.

* Ventura County Assessor’s Office

(805) 654-2311

* Ventura County Sheriff’s Department

Ventura office: (805) 654-2311

Camarillo office: (805) 485-6747

Thousand Oaks office (805) 495-0811

Moorpark office: (805) 527-6611

* Ventura County Fire Department

(805) 389-9710

* City Fire Departments

Fillmore: (805) 524-0586

Oxnard: (805) 385-7722

Santa Paula: (805) 933-4225

Ventura: (805) 339-4300

* Ventura County Public Social Services Agency

(805) 652-7601

COUNSELING Among the groups providing counseling or referrals to counseling for fire victims:

* Las Encinas Hospital

2900 E. Del Mar Blvd.

Pasadena

(800) 443-5744 is a counseling line for fire victims only, staffed 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.

* Catholic Charities

8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays

(213) 251-3400

For professional psychological counseling and referrals to counseling in your area.

* Jewish Family Service of Greater Los Angeles

Providing crisis counseling or referrals on a non-sectarian basis.

(213) 852-7723

(818) 587-3333

* Pine Grove Hospital and Mental Health Center

7011 Shoup Ave.

Canoga Park

(800) 224-7999

Offering food, shelter and free initial counseling for displaced fire victims. Psychiatrists on staff are also available to travel free of charge to nearby emergency rooms and shelters to counsel burn victims and their families.

UTILITIES Southern California Edison and other utilities and agencies have set up centers to answer utility- and service-related questions. In addition, Edison will continue to waive electric bills for customers who lost their homes in the Thousand Oaks, Malibu-Topanga, Beaumont and Cherry Valley areas. Customers will not have to pay for electricity between their last bill and the fire.

ASSISTANCE CENTERS State authorities and the Federal Emergency Management Agency have set up assistance centers to help victims.

* Hours: The centers are open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and can provide information on low-interest loans for residents and business owners who sustained losses. Victims can go to any of these centers, no matter where they live.

* Other programs: Crisis counseling; income tax assistance for filing casualty losses; advisory assistance on legal issues, veterans benefits and Social Security matters. Also, rental payments for temporary housing; grants for making minimal repairs to primary residences that are habitable, and unemployment payments for some workers who temporarily lost jobs.

* Phone program: You may apply for assistance over the telephone by calling (800) 462-9029 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, if you are prepared to provide basic information, details about your insurance coverage and other information to help substantiate your losses.

* Arcadia Community Regional Park

405 S. Santa Anita Ave.

* Ventura County Sheriff’s Training Facility

Camarillo Airport

273 E. Pleasant Valley Road

* Riverside County French Valley Airport

37552 Winchester Road

Murrieta

* San Bernardino and San Diego counties

Call FEMA’s hot line:

(800) 462-9029

ANIMAL ASSISTANCE * Ventura County Department of Animal Regulation

(805) 388-4341

* Los Angeles County Animal Care and Control (in Thousand Oaks and western Los Angeles County)

Agoura Animal Shelter

29525 Agoura Road

Agoura Hills

(818) 991-0071

For the temporary shelter for dogs and cats:

* Ventura County Animal Shelter

600 Aviation Drive

Camarillo

(805) 388-4341

For the temporary shelter of horses, goats and livestock:

* Ventura County Fairgrounds (western Ventura County)

10 W. Harbor Blvd., Gate 4

Ventura

(805) 656-1260

* Ventura County Department of Animal Regulation (eastern Ventura County:

(805) 388-4341

* Caring for Animals Network

(800) 730-4CAN

For assistance in rescuing displaced dogs, cats and horses:

* Animal Emancipation

(805) 529-9357

To donate dog, cat or horse food, birdseed or other supplies:

* Animal Food Bank

(805) 652-1910

* Los Angeles SPCA/Southern California Humane Society

(800) 730-4226

A referral line for animal shelters, including paying expenses for veterinary care if needed. Staffed 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

* L.A. Equestrian Center

Horse owners who need help moving their animals to safety may call (818) 973-1042.

For boarding information:

* Veterinary Centers of America

(800) 822-7387

To board any pet, excluding farm animals and horses, VCA has 11 hospitals in the Southern California area. These are the VCA facilities nearest the Thousand Oaks and Calabasas/Malibu fire:

* VCA Parkwood Animal Hospital

6330 Fallbrook Ave.

Woodland Hills

(818) 884-5506

* VCA Agoura Meadows Animal Hospital

5605 Kanan Road

Agoura Hills

(818) 889-0810

People who are trying to locate evacuated horses can call:

* L.A. Equestrian Center

(818) 973-1042

* Agoura Animal Shelter

(818) 991-0071

* The Meadows of Moorpark

(805) 523-7128

* White Clouds Ranch

(818) 889-5316

ROAD CLOSURES * Topanga Canyon Boulevard from Old Topanga Road to Pacific Coast Highway is accessible to residents traveling southbound only. No northbound traffic is allowed.

These roads are open only to residents with proper identification:

* Big Rock Road

* Carbon Canyon Road

* Cross Creek Road at Civic Center

* Las Flores Canyon Road

* Old Topanga Road from Cold Creek to Topanga Canyon Boulevard

* Piuma Road from Cold Creek Road to Saddle Peak Road

* Rambla Vista

* Saddle Peak Road from Schueren Road to Topanga Canyon Boulevard

* Sweet Water Canyon Road

* Topanga Canyon Boulevard from Mulholland Highway to Old Topanga Road

* Tuna Canyon Road

* Note: Pacific Coast Highway is open, however the California Highway Patrol urges people to not to use it unless they have business in the area.

INSURANCE Several insurance companies have established toll-free, emergency phone lines to handle claims from fire victims. Insurance officials suggest that consumers try to contact their own agents first and use the emergency numbers only if they are unable to reach their agents. Officials also caution that the lines are meant only for consumers with fire claims, not for vendors offering services or other non-emergency calls.

* Auto Club of Southern California

(800) 67 CLAIM

* Allstate

(800) 755-4126

* Chubb Group

(800) 446-6618

* Farmer’s Group

(800) 543-5736

* Fireman’s Fund

(800) 548-HELP

* Liberty Mutual regional claims offices

Orange: (800) 303-9801

Westlake Village: (800) 345-4584

Ontario: (800) 526-7994

* SAFECO

(800) 452-7117

* State Farm

(800) SF CLAIM

* California Department of Insurance

Consumer hot line: (800) 927-HELP

* Western Insurance

Information Service (industry-sponsored educational organization)

(800) 397-1679

DONATIONS Among the groups offering help:

The American Red Cross is accepting monetary donations only. Make check out to American Red Cross and earmark it for the Disaster Relief Fund. You may designate the fire or the county in which you want your donation used.

* Ventura County chapter

P.O. Box 5850

Ventura 93005

(805) 339-2234

The Salvation Army is accepting clothing, blankets, non-perishable food items and money for fire victims.

* Oxnard: (805) 487-2074

* Ventura: (805) 648-5031

* Simi Valley: (805) 339-2234

Other groups accepting items:

* Ventura County Community Foundation

Accepting money to distribute through local nonprofit organizations in Ventura County.

* Ventura County Community Foundation

1355 Del Norte Road

Camarillo 93010

* United Way Fire Relief Fund

621 S. Virgil Ave.

Los Angeles 90005

(213) 736-1300, Ext. 348

Make check or money order out to United Way Inc. Fire Relief

* Fire Emergency Relief Fund, Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles

P.O. Box 2164

Los Angeles 90051

(213) 482-2040

Make check or money order out to Bishop’s Discretionary Fund.

* World Vision Fire Relief Fund

Accepting donations for neighborhood cleanup and recovery programs.

P.O. Box 1131

Pasadena 91311

* Operation USA

Accepting money for long-term assistance to community organizations damaged in the fire and soliciting corporate gifts of plastic sheeting to seal damaged houses against rain.

c/o Los Angeles Fires

8320 Melrose Ave.

Los Angeles 90069

(213) 658-8876

* Lutheran Social Services

Accepting money, clothing, bedding and canned food.

1010 E. Locust St.

Pasadena 91106

* Bethany Church

Accepting canned food, children’s clothing, household goods and furniture.

93 N. Baldwin Ave.

Sierra Madre

* Catholic Charities Fire Disaster Relief

1400 W. 9th St.

Los Angeles 90015

(213) 251-3400