Over the last week, more than a dozen wildfires have ravaged parts of Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino, Lake and Yuba counties in Northern California, forcing hundreds of people to evacuate and spewing toxic smoke into San Francisco and surrounding cities. Firefighters are still battling the blazes, and the region is in dire need of practical help, money, energy and resources. Here are some of the ways you can help the families, animals and businesses devastated by the Northern California wild fires.
1. Donate to the Napa and Sonoma County Fire Relief to help keep essential shelter spaces open and operational.
2. The Jewish Community Federation & Endowment Fund has launched an emergency fund to aid victims of the fire.
3. The folks at Charles Communications Associates are raising money via their GoFundMe campaign to help Wine Country families recover. They are also accepting goods—especially warm-wear and underwear—at the Cavanaugh Rec Center.
4. Donate your time, your money and goods to the Bay Area Red Cross.
5. Napa Valley Disaster Relief Fund is in need of monetary donations.
6. Lend an extra bag of dog or cat food to the Humane Society of Sonoma County, Humane Society of Napa County or Yuba-Sutter SPCA. They are also seeking monetary donations to help cover needed veterinary procedures, as well as volunteers to help keep the shelter animals fed and properly cared for.
7. Airbnb and Hipcamp are both rounding-up and listing hosts who are willing to home displaced families. Feel free to open your doors to those who currently have none.
8. Redwood Empire Food Bank is actively seeking donations, both monetary and sustenance, to help feed those displaced by the recent Wine Country fires. All food donations should be either ready-to-eat meals or non-perishable.
9. Consider lending a hand or purging your pantry for a food pantry in Sonoma, Napa or Yuba County.
10. Cook a meal for a firefighter. First responders in Santa Rosa and the Russian River among others are accepting warm meals.