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You Can Help Those Affected by the Los Angeles Wildfire

You Can Help Those Affected by the Los Angeles Wildfire

The recent Los Angeles wildfire has been among the worst ever seen in California. Homes, businesses, and entire neighbourhoods have been lost and families have been displaced.

Toll of the wildfires:

  • lasting damage to more than 40,000 acres
  • over 12,000 structures burned
  • over 150,000 people displaced
  • at least 27 deaths
  • untold number of injuries

What Happened

According to reports, a brush fire close to East Malibu started on January 7 for unknown reasons and erupted into a blaze that grew to over 23,000 acres. It was 70% contained within a day but not until damaging 7,400 structures in the Pacific Palisades area.

Shortly after, the Eaton fire ignited and rapidly spread to over 14,000 acres. Additional fires broke out over the Los Angeles area which spread the firefighters across a large area with limited resources. Neighboring states and other countries quickly deployed firefighters, water bombers, and other equipment to help stop the spread of these rapidly advancing blazes.

Fueled by powerful winds and extremely dry conditions, these fires quickly overtook areas and caught people by surprise. The evacuation orders were rapid and gave many people very little time to grab essentials and escape the approaching blaze.

 

Animals and Pets Displaced

At one point, over 200,000 people were under evacuation orders. Other victims of the wildfires are pets and livestock. Many families were unable to take their animals with them or weren’t able to get home when the evacuation orders came through.  Thousands of beloved pets have been injured and lost. The Humane Society has taken in a reported 800 animals while the fires continued to burn. Some animals have been sent to shelters as far as Texas and Seattle for care and shelter.

Many in the livestock community gathered their trucks and trailers and guided only by social media, went dangerously close to the fires to save horses, pigs, sheep, goats, and other livestock from the approaching blaze.

Many animals will be reunited with their families once they have secured new living arrangements or returned home, but many will need new forever homes. In the meantime, these animals require daily care and shelter, and some need medical care that they receive from shelters and humane societies across Los Angeles and southern California.

 

Rebuilding after the Wildfires   

Now that the danger has passed, the long term effects of the Los Angeles wildfires are being  calculated. Some analysts predict it will be one of the 20 costliest natural disasters in U.S. history.

Unfortunately, many people will discover that their insurance will not cover the cost of rebuilding their lives or replacing what they lost in the wildfire. Insurance premiums jumped as much as 43% in the last 5 years for the average home in California which means many people were unable to afford to keep their insurance.

You can help the victims of the Los Angeles wildfires through donations, in kind items, volunteering your time and many other ways. Disasters leave a tragic wake of destruction that affects humans, animals and our planet. But disasters also bring out the love in humans as we strive to help others and ease their pain. The generous spirit of humankind is accelerated in times of need and this disaster will see this spirit thrive as people around the world reach out to help.

Los Angeles Disaster Relief

Whether you want to help people who have been displaced or injured in the wildfires, or animals who need medical care or new homes, we have a list of organizations that you can contact. GoFundMe is a way to reach those directly affected by this disaster and especially those who may not have insurance or any other way to get help following this disaster.

Grayson, is a 10 year old boy who has lost his home in Altadena as a result of the wildfires. He is also visually impaired and has chosen to help others with similar limitations by raising money for equipment and donating to those in need. Watch his video to be inspired by a boy who cares for others and only wants his neighbourhood back so he can continue to enjoy his childhood and spread love and hope wherever he goes. Watch Grayson’s Story Here.

Organizations that are Helping

Help spread love in the world by doing what you can to help those in need from this devastating disaster. Here are some suggested links to follow to help today:

Greater Good Organization

Pasadena Humane Society

World Central Kitchen

GoFundMe – search for Los Angeles Wildfire or a specific area you want to help

Humane Society of the US

Spread the word, donate financially or in-kind, volunteer, or do whatever is possible for you. Every action makes a difference. Take a moment to help those in need today and make a difference with one action, one day at a time.

Tammy Lawrence
+ posts

Tammy was born and raised on the North Shore of Vancouver and has always believed in supporting the community. She spent years in non-profit work advocating for girls and women in sport and physical activity and then moved on to fundraising for Big Sisters. She currently works from home as a freelance writer while raising her kids. Always passionate about children and youth and giving back to the community, Tammy found a perfect fit with 365give.

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