Placerville, California, is facing considerable delays in receiving federal disaster funding from FEMA, which is impeding critical wildfire mitigation activities. The community, known for its dense brush and older residences, is at high risk of wildfires. Local authorities have been planning to enroll more than 500 homes in a FEMA-funded program to improve fire resistance. However, the project has been stalled for over a year due to a backlog in FEMA approvals that began during the Trump administration. FEMA owes communities across the country nearly $10 billion, causing delays in crucial infrastructure repairs and wildfire prevention projects. A previous policy that mandated additional review of grants exceeding $100,000 worsened the problem, although it has recently been rescinded without the funds being released.