Recovering From Recent and Long-lasting Los Angeles Fires

On the morning of January 7, flames rose near the Skull Rock Trailhead, the starting point of a trail in Joshua Tree National Park. The Santa Ana winds spread these flames further. Only a week after the new year began, large regions across Los Angeles were burning from fires that were out of control.

Recorded as some of the most devastating fires in California’s history, the Greater Los Angeles Fires took the lives of 29 people and have covered and damaged over 12,000 structures and 40,000 acres of land. Over 200,000 people have had to evacuate, and 1,000 schools were closed. After raging on for four weeks, the impact of the fires will be long-lasting. 

During this challenging time, members of the community gathered to support those affected, especially those who lost their homes. Even non-profit organizations, like the YMCA, have worked to provide much-needed support.

I spoke on the phone with Ms. Christina Bragg, the Senior Director of Marketing and Communications at the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles, about current YMCA initiatives for fire relief.

Recently, the YMCA has provided free childcare, showers, Wi-Fi, and essential services to people affected by the fires. It has also hosted distribution sites across LA County. In the distribution centers, YMCA has been giving out food, hygienic supplies, clothes, and more.  “We’ve had 15 distribution hubs all over Los Angeles, with 25,000 volunteers,” shared Ms. Bragg.

California Volunteers Makes a Change

California Volunteers is the state office supporting California residents in service and civic action. It recently partnered with the YMCA to support victims of the fires. I spoke with Mr. Josh Fryday, the Chief Service Officer of California, over Zoom about the recent work by California Volunteers to support people affected by the wildfires.

“When the fire first started, the community was quite literally in flames,” said Mr. Fryday. “Our first duty was to keep the people safe. Then when the fires came into control, we moved on to recovery, providing people with shelter, alerts, information, and safety.” 

Mr. Fryday emphasized the value of people’s service and the importance of volunteering from a young age. “Everyone has the opportunity to give, whether it’s time or money,” he said. He shared that kids too can take time to volunteer and help distribution centers. As the city recovers, he looks forward to a California where everyone can serve their community.