How you can best help California wildfire victims who lost everything
Firefighters from Washington State are finally returning home, after being sent down to California to help fight all the wildfires. For many, it was an entirely new experience.
Thousands of people have been driven from their homes this holiday season by the deadly and destructive California wildfires. With Giving Tuesday around the corner, the wildfire victims could use some help.
On Sunday, the historic Camp Fire, which scorched thousands of homes and killed at least 83 in Northern California, was 100 percent contained.
Some people who were forced from their homes by the Camp Fire have set up tents in a Walmart parking lot in Chico, California, as a place to live until they are able to find a more permanent home.
Amy Sheppard packs up items outside her tent in a Walmart parking lot in Chico, Calif., that's been a makeshift campground for people displaced by wildfire, Wednesday morning, Nov. 21, 2018. Sheppard lost her home in Magalia to the Camp fire. She was staying in the tent for four days with her sister and 1-year-old niece. They are moving to a motel because of rain that began Wednesday. (AP Photo/Kathleen Ronayne)
Living in tents is a much cheaper option for families that cannot afford an extended stay at a hotel and for those who could not find a pet-friendly shelter.
Food, clothing and supplies might be the first thing people think to donate; however, cash donations are the best. When items are donated, volunteers have to divert their attention to separating, distributing and storing.
Recovery lasts longer than a few days, and disaster areas can take years to fully recover. If donations run out within the first few days, volunteers no longer have the resources and funds to help.
Tera Hickerson, right, and Columbus Holt embrace as they look at a board with information for services at a makeshift encampment outside a Walmart store for people displaced by the Camp Fire, Friday, Nov. 16, 2018, in Chico, Calif. The two, from Paradise, Calif., escaped the fire and don't know if their house is still standing. (AP Photo/John Locher)
If you’d like to donate to help emergency responders and firefighters, the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation is seeking donations.
Another organization that is highly rated by Charity Navigator is Direct Relief. They are providing masks, medicine, and other resources to health care agencies and first responders.
GoFundMe has a page for fire relief efforts. There are campaigns for individuals who have lost their homes.
If you do choose to donate, make sure to send money to a reputable charity. Check if the charity is trustworthy by visiting Charity Navigator, which uses a team of professional analysts to examine tens of thousands of charities.
During emergencies and disaster situations, the blood supply might run low due to the increased quantity needed. With many people injured, donating blood helps to save lives in the emergency room.
The Red Cross urges eligible donors to give blood or platelets to help ensure life-saving blood products are available for trauma patients and others with serious medical needs.
“It’s the blood products on the shelves that helps save lives in an emergency,” said Trish Sablitz, Red Cross director of Donor Recruitment for the Connecticut & Massachusetts Blood Services Region.
Tammy Lee Trojanowski, 46, holds her chihuahua-dachshund outside the Federal Emergency Management center in Chico, Calif., as she talks about the Camp Fire disaster. She wasn't sure her home survived in Magalia and has been living out of her pickup truck. (AP Photo/Sudhin Thanawala)
Many furry friends are also in need of help after being injured in the wildfires. The Humane Society of Ventura County and the Los Angeles County Animal Care Foundation in Southern California are accepting donations.
Many celebrities have stepped in to help those in need, even though some of them have lost their own houses and belongings.
Guy Fieri, Miley Cyrus, Liam Hemsworth, Ellen Degeneres, Sandra Bullock and others have donated money to those in need.
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