As wildfires continue to ravage Los Angeles County, the Annenberg Foundation and Wasserman Foundation have come forward to donate $1 million to the LA Fire Department Foundation for urgently needed equipment and supplies to fight the fires.
The funds came in response to a Tuesday call for donations to help cover the costs of essential tools and safety equipment for LAFD firefighters, including emergency fire shelters, hydration backpacks, and wildland brush tools.
“The exorbitant cost of fighting California’s wildfires requires an enormous amount of equipment and other aid for those on the front lines,” explained Chairman, CEO and President of The Annenberg Foundation, Wallis Annenberg. “We’re pleased to have been able to move quickly to support our heroes…These frontline workers are being pushed to the limits and we need to ensure they have the right equipment to protect themselves and all those affected by these sudden and erratic fires.”
Calling the destruction caused by the wildfires “heartbreaking to witness,” Casey Wasserman, President and CEO of the Wasserman Foundation said, “We are incredibly grateful for our firefighters and first responders who continue to risk their lives to protect our communities, and we hope our fellow Angelenos will help support the LAFD Foundation’s immediate needs.”
Added Liz Lin, president of the LAFD Foundation: “This support comes at such a crucial time when the LAFD resources are stretched so far. I am incredibly grateful to Wallis Annenberg, Casey Wasserman and their respective Foundations for stepping up to help support the LAFD. I encourage anyone interested in following their lead to please visit our website for more information or to make a donation.”
The LAFD Foundation continues to call on the community for help as high winds complicate fire conditions across the Los Angeles region. Also recently activating to raise funds in the wake of the disaster was Defy:Disaster, a program of the Entertainment Industry Foundation, which has previously administered funds to victims of the 2023 Maui wildfires, as well as the deadly Camp and Woolsey Fires of 2018. Donations to that program can be made at the link.
“Our hearts go out to all who have lost their homes and those who are uncertain what the days ahead will hold,” said EIF President and CEO Nicole Sexton. “There is an urgent need to provide shelter, food and water, medical care for individuals and families, as well as care for pets that have been displaced.”
Multiple wildfires have been burning out of control across Los Angeles since yesterday, rapidly expanding due to strong Santa Ana winds and dry conditions. First to ignite yesterday morning was a fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood, which per an Associated Press analysis, is now the most destructive in the city’s history, after destroying more than 1,000 structures. Later in the day, a fire erupted in the Eaton Canyon area near Pasadena, which has so far claimed the lives of five, followed by the Hurst Fire in the Sylmar neighborhood, and the Woodley Fire in Los Angeles’ Sepulveda Basin. L.A. County emergency officials said this morning that more than 50,000 people had been evacuated due to the fires and more than 1,400 firefighters were engaged, with hundreds of thousands reportedly going without power.
In response to the conditions, California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency and secured a Fire Assistance Grant from FEMA to bring federal resources to assist in efforts to fight the fires. More recently, President Joe Biden approved a major disaster declaration in response to the wildfires, according to the governor’s office.
We’ll update this post with more information on wildfire donations as it comes in.
