Summary

Hundreds of wildfires are burning across California, destroying homes, forcing mass evacuations, and polluting the air. This fund will support firefighters and get emergency supplies like food, water, and medicine to people in need. The fund will remain open to provide long-term assistance. As the location and severity of the fires fluctuates, so will our response to ensure aid gets where it is most needed. All donations to this fund will exclusively support communities impacted by wildfires.

Challenge

California is battling wildfires at a historic scale this season. A heat wave and lightning sparked the second-largest fire in the state's history in late August 2020, with hundreds of smaller fires burning across multiple counties. Homes have been destroyed and more than 100,000 residents are displaced. The COVID-19 pandemic is an added challenge for first responders and residents, with the threat of infection remaining high, particularly in shelters where social distancing is challenging.

Solution

All donations to this fund will support relief and recovery efforts for Californians affected by the 2020 wildfires. Initially, the fund will help first responders meet survivors' immediate needs for food, fuel, clean water, medicine, and shelter. The fund will transition to support longer-term recovery efforts run by local, vetted organizations in the region. We monitor the impact on affected communities and work with partners on the ground to allocate funds to where they're needed most.

Long-Term Impact

We believe that organizations that are deeply rooted in local communities are in the best position to provide long-term support for survivors of natural disasters like wildfires. By funding the relief and recovery efforts of local organizations, donations to this fund have the potential to build stronger response capacity so that these organizations are better equipped to face future challenges. GlobalGiving will post reports about how funds have been used and will email these reports to donors.