Wildfires are racing through parts of California, burning everything in its path. Declared the deadliest wildfire in history, the Camp Fire in Northern California has killed at least 23 people, destroyed thousands of homes and has displaced many people. As of Sunday, 111,000 acres have been burned. Another 88,000 acres have been burned in Southern California due to the Woolsey Fire. As they continue to expand across the state, the number of citizens at risk increases. The state has declared emergency evacuations including the homes of celebrities. Those of us out of state might feel extremely helpless, however there’s still something you can do to aide our fellow citizens.
First, you can donate goods and services. If you are in the Cali area, open your home to people who have been displaced. For those of us out of state, providing supplies and shelter isn’t practical. However, social platforms such as GoFundMe, Google, and Facebook have set up sections of their sites that take donations toward providing people in need with supplies to get through this difficult time. Organizations such as Red Cross and Salvation Army are accepting donations and any other contribution you can make to help.
Second, make the disaster known. Tweet and post about it. The more people hear about it, the more they’ll be able to help. Social media is a powerful thing, using the tool we all have easy access to on our cell phones could make the biggest impact. Send out reminders to friends to donate or send prayers. The cyber world is capable of doing so much good.
Natural disasters can’t be prevented but there is a way to prevent the destruction of the Earth through fire. Be conscious of what you throw away. Remember what you throw on the ground, what could happen to it or to an animal or even to 111,000 acres of land. We only have one Earth, so we need to be mindful and work together to save it.