8 Ways to Help Victims of the Latest California Wildfires
Boy, here we go. Let's get out of here.
Over the past week, several wildfires have spread across parts of northern and southern California as fire crews work to minimize the damage exacerbated by powerful winds.
In the early hours on Monday, a brush fire broke out in southern California along the 405 highway, threatening homes near the Getty Center museum. According to the Los Angeles Times, the fire erupted at about 1:30am PST, and rapidly burned more than 600 acres, forcing thousands to flee from their homes.
According to CBS Los Angeles, by noon, at least eight homes had been destroyed, and five more damaged, and there was no containment. Mandatory evacuations were issued for an area with at least 10,000 homes and commercial buildings. As of now, there have not been any reported injuries. Due to the fires, the premiere of Terminator: Dark Fate — the latest film in the Terminator franchise — has been canceled, according to The Hollywood Reporter. UCLA has also cancelled classes for the day, and among those evacuated from their homes were actors Arnold Schwarzenegger and Ryan Phillippe, and NBA star LeBron James.
Huge brush fire raging off the 405 freeway at Getty Center Dr. #GettyFire pic.twitter.com/S9qth2l54J
— Michael J. Duarte (@michaeljduarte) October 28, 2019
Photos of @LAFD fight against the #GettyFire as seen from the Getty Center, which remains safe.
600+ personnel are continuing to employ air and ground support, including air tankers, to contain the fire. pic.twitter.com/zQamrUNY0g— J. Paul Getty Museum (@GettyMuseum) October 28, 2019
However, the Getty fire isn’t the only major wildfire that broke out in the state recently — last week, the wind-driven Kincade Fire burned through more than 66,000 acres in parts of Sonoma County in northern California. The fire has destroyed 96 structures and damaged 16 others, and officials say nearly 80,000 structures are threatened. As of Monday, firefighters were still working to contain the blazes, San Francisco Chronicle reports, and an estimated 185,000 people have been evacuated. So far, there have not been reports of casualties. Also last week, the Tick fire broke out near Santa Clarita, but has now been 98% contained.
Multiple new wildfires also erupted in the state on Wednesday and Thursday. On Wednesday, the Easy Fire burned through more than 1,600 acres in Ventura County, causing thousands of homes to be evacuated in the communities of Simi Valley, Moorpark and Thousand Oaks. And on Thursday, the Hillside Fire started in San Bernardino while the 46 Fire broke out in Riverside County.
If you're looking to help with efforts to contain the fires and provide support for those affected, here are a few ways to get started:
California Fire Foundation:
Donate to the California Fire Foundation, which is providing immediate, short-term relief to victims of the fires.
Latino Community Foundation
Donate to the Latino Community Foundation's NorCal Wildfire Relief Fund, which is supporting Latino and immigrant families affected.
Sonoma County Animal Services
Donate to the Sonoma County Animal Services to help displaced animals.
Center for Disaster Philanthropy
Donate to the Center for Disaster Philanthropy's California Wildlife Recovery.
Los Angeles Fire Department
Donate to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
UndocuFund for Fire Relief
Donate to UndocuFund for Fire Relief in Sonoma County to help undocumented people who have been affected by the Kincade Fire.
Airbnb
Airbnb is offering temporary free housing for Kincade fire evacuees through Nov. 7 as part of their Open Homes program that assists victims of disasters. If you operate an Airbnb or need housing, you can sign up here.
World Central Kitchen
#KincadeFire update: We served just under 6000 meals today with @WCKitchen here at the Sonoma Fairgrounds. DM me if you want to volunteer anytime this week. We would prefer kitchen experience, but if you have a strong back and can handle a knife, we’ll take you. pic.twitter.com/4Ubo9asjvg
— Tyler Florence (@TylerFlorence) October 28, 2019
UPDATED: This story has been updated from a previous version on Oct. 31.
