In addition to the pandemic, Californians have another looming threat: wildfires. Over 500 fires are ravaging the state, according to Governor Gavin Newsom, and while some experts say this is California’s “new normal,” that doesn’t mean it’s any less devastating.
What’s more is that the wildfires demonstrate what experts have been warning: That climate change — just like coronavirus and any other disaster — will hurt marginalized people the most. While the rich can escape danger in their private planes (as the Kardashian-Wests did in 2018), farmworkers labor admidst the smoke and risk their lives in the process:
That, coupled with coronavirus, has led to a decidedly dystopian set of instructions from the Red Cross:
How can those witnessing these horrors help wildfire victims in California? Charity Navigator recommends donating to trusted organizations on the ground, and provided a dozen on their site.
Here’s another list of organizations directing funds to victims, firefighters, and more:
If you yourself may be in danger of the wildfires, the Red Cross offers safety tips and steps on how to get immediate help.