What You Need to Know About the California Wildfires, and How To Help
See how the out-of-control blazes are causing historic destruction in these harrowing photos.
As three massive wildfires that erupted November 8 continue to sweep through California, the destruction currently stands at 207,000 acres burned, hundreds of thousands of people evacuated, 44 dead, and 228 unaccounted for.
The largest of the three fires–the Camp fire–is located in northern part of the state in Butte Country, and is the most destructive fire in state history, as well as one of the deadliest.
The Camp Fire tore through 111,000 acres so far, destroying 6,000 buildings and annihilating an entire town called Paradise, and has killed 29 people. According to Cal Fire, the flames are only 25 percent contained.
Take a look at this heartbreaking video, and you’ll see just how apocalyptic the situation seems:
The second largest of the fires is the Woolsey Fire that’s wreaking havoc in the Malibu area, and has claimed two lives.
So far, it has consumed 91,572 acres and destroyed 370 buildings, including homes of celebrities including Miley Cyrus, Neil Young, Robin Thicke and Gerard Butler.
As of right now, the fire is only 20 percent contained, and with the strong winds it doesn’t look like there’s much progress being made. “Sadly, with these winds, it’s not over yet,” chief of Cal Fire’s San Luis Obispo Unit, Scott Jalbert, told CNN.
The smallest of the three fires is the Hill Fire, which is located northwest of the Woolsey Fire. It’s burned 4,531 acres of land and destroyed two buildings, and is 75 percent contained.
The Hill and Woolsey fires are expected to be completely contained by November 15th, and the Camp Fire by the 30th.
Even with over 7,800 firefighters working around the clock to contain the fires, the weather isn’t helping, and strong winds continue to stoke the fires, and low humidity only adds to the flames.
Since first-responders and everyone devastated by the blazes could use all the help we can offer, here are some ways to lend a helping hand, according to The New York Times and LAist:
California Community Foundation Wildlife Relief Fund:
To help those who have been affected by wildfires, and offers grants to help rebuild homes.
The United Way of Greater Los Angeles and the United Way of Northern California:
“United Way’s Disaster Relief Fund will help support those who have lost homes in the Hill and Woolsey Fires outside of LA as well as those displaced by the Camp Fire in the northern part of the state,” Men’s Journal explains.
Visit the LA site here and Northern California site here.
The California Fire Foundation:
A nonprofit organization that has a SAVE program that offers immediate assistance to victims, and gives $100 prepaid cards for the purchase of emergency supplies.
The Humane Society of Ventura County:
Donations to help take care of pets and livestock that were displaced in the fires are more than welcome (and needed).
The Entertainment Industry Foundation:
This foundation accepts donations to benefit multiple other organizations that help aid victims as well as firefighters by purchasing necessary supplies.
Godspeed, California.