Kincade Fire: How to help Californians impacted by the Sonoma County fire
Countless Northern Californians are feeling the impacts of the Kincade Fire -- those whose homes have been damaged or destroyed by the flames, those who have been forced to evacuate and those who have been without power for extended periods of time.
Here are some ways to help out your neighbors in the Bay Area as well as the firefighters:
HOW TO VOLUNTEER & DONATE
-Red Cross reminds donors that collecting and sending food, clothing and household items is often not needed. The best way to support disaster victims is with a financial donation, which they can use for what they need most. Go to redcross.org, call 1-800 RED CROSS or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.
-Blood donations are needed after some blood drives were canceled and blood donation centers closed due to the fire. Vitalant's Santa Rosa donation center and its Santa Rosa warehouse were both located in a mandatory evacuation zone. You can donate to Vitalant by clicking here.
-Sonoma County Animal Services would appreciate donations, which can be made here.
-Redwood Empire Food Bank will take food donations. People interested in volunteering should send their name and phone number to volunteers@refb.org
-The San Francisco-Marin Food Bank has volunteer spaces available for multiple shifts per week. The latest needs and a link to sign up can be found on the organization's Facebook page.
-People interested in volunteering should go to the Volunteer Center of Sonoma County website and register to volunteer. You may be called upon to help in future disasters.
-Petaluma People Services Center is coordinating volunteers and donations. Donations specifically for fire relief can be made here. To volunteer, send an email to admin@petalumapeople.org or call 707-529-1201. You can follow the latest needs on their Facebook page.
-Nonprofit Corazon Healdsburg is helping the Spanish-speaking community in Sonoma County. They're providing financial support, housing, and replacement items for those impacted by the Kincade Fire. Information and help is available in both Spanish and English online.
-Lagunitas Brewing Company, which is based in Petaluma, will donate proceeds from a rotating selection of beers at the Petaluma TapRoom to the Red Cross and the Humane Society of Sonoma County. On Nov. 14, Lagunitas will host a fundraiser at the TapRoom from 4 to 9 p.m. featuring live music and an auction to support First Responders Resiliency. You can get a free ticket and make a donation here.
-World Central Kitchen is no longer cooking meals for people impacted by the fire.
-Learn more here about businesses offering free goods and services for Kincade Fire, power outage evacuees and first responders.
HOW TO HELP FIREFIGHTERS
The California Fire Foundation runs the California Firefighters Benevolent Fund, which provides assistance and support to firefighters who are displaced or impacted by fire or natural disaster. It also helps firefighters who sustain burn injuries in the line of duty. Click here for more information about making a cash donation.
Click here for the latest evacuation and shelter information.
Get the latest developments on the Kincade Fire here.
RELATED STORIES & VIDEOS:
- Kincade Fire Maps: Here's how much ground the wildfire would cover in other parts of Bay Area
- PHOTOS: Kincade Fire burns in Sonoma County
- Harrowing dashcam video shows SF firefighters driving into Kincade Fire flames, embers hitting windshield
- SKY7 shows Kincade Fire smoke sitting heavily over Sonoma County
- Does wearing a mask when it's smoky outside work?
- Sonoma County woman caught on camera trying to save home from fast-moving wildfire
- Video shows man driving through wildfire raging out of control in Sonoma County
- Enormous smoke plumes, out-of-control flames from Kincade Fire caught on camera
