Additional Ways to Support Wildfire Recovery Efforts in California

Additional Ways to Support Wildfire Recovery Efforts in California

Information provided by the Red Cross

Nearly 900 evacuees woke up Monday morning in Red Cross shelters, many of whom are struggling after losing everything. Red Crossers from across the country are helping, and truckloads of supplies like cots, blankets, water, and relief items are on the ground to support thousands of additional people if needed. Some of these volunteers are from the region and have also been impacted by these wildfires.

In shelters, disaster health volunteers are caring for minor injuries and replacing things like eyeglasses and medications. Disaster mental health workers are providing emotional support to those experiencing unimaginable loss.

 

HOW TO GET HELP

EVERYONE WELCOME IN OUR SHELTERS Red Cross shelters are a safe place for everyone. We don’t ask for identification, and you don’t have to stay overnight to get help. Find shelter locations on redcross.org, the free Red Cross Emergency app, or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767).

We do everything we can to accommodate service animals and pets comfortably in our shelters. Sometimes, pets may need to be housed in a different location with support from local partners.

  • Some people are trying to find loved ones, and the Red Cross has received nearly 400 requests for help. If you need assistance locating a missing loved one because of the fires, we may be able to help. Visit redcross.org/findfamily or reach us at 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). Please provide as much detail as possible to assist us in potentially locating your missing loved one.
  • The Red Cross is providing assistance to help immediate family members travel to California after a death or the hospitalization of a loved one. If you need help, please call 1-800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767) to be connected with the Family Travel Assistance Team. For this program, the Red Cross considers an immediate family member to be a parent, spouse, domestic partner, child, sibling, grandparent or direct in-law.
  • If you or a loved one needs help, reach out to the free 24/7 multilingual Disaster Distress Helpline at 1-800-985-5990 for support.
  • If you’ve been impacted by the recent fires, you may be eligible for government assistance. Apply online at DisasterAssistance.gov or call the FEMA helpline at 1-800-621-3362.

USEFUL LINKS:

HOW YOU CAN HELP People are depending on the Red Cross for aid now and we need your support. Help people affected by the 2025 California Wildfires, and all of our current disaster responses by visiting https://www.redcross.org/donate/donation.html/.

Your generosity means a lot to us.  We are offering shelter, meals, and reunification services to heavily impacted areas. To keep meeting these needs, we cannot accept donations of clothing or household items due to the impact that cleaning, storing, sorting, or distributing them would have on our response efforts.

It’s important to remember that people from all socioeconomic backgrounds are impacted by these destructive fires. This is especially true for people with limited resources who usually experience a heavier toll after disasters.

As the wildfires continue to burn and impact air quality, the number of Red Cross blood drive cancelations have grown impacting hundreds of lifesaving blood donations. We encourage people to schedule a blood donation appointment by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

I am always available as a resource to you, or those you work with should there be any questions or should anyone need any assistance in connecting to Red Cross Services.