Los Angeles is filled with nature and it is something that makes the city so great. It is also what makes the city susceptible to wildfires devastating communities. My husband and I had this conversation a couple of days ago when we were walking our dogs in our neighborhood near Runyon Canyon at the base of the Hollywood Hills.

Los Angeles is the second-largest city in the country, and Griffith Park, where the Hollywood sign is located, is the 54th-largest urban park in the world. The wonderful inclusion of nature in the city’s planning is truly one of its greatest assets, but again, it is dangerous.

I am one of the lucky ones 

On January 8, 2025, my husband and I were having dinner with friends in North Hollywood, about 20 minutes away from our apartment. While waiting for our food, we suddenly received a notice of a brush fire at Runyon Canyon, about a block away.

We rushed out of the restaurant, and within 10 minutes of the notification, we got the alert that our neighborhood was at “Evacuation Level 3—Go.” We raced down the 101 freeway, attempting to get to our apartment to get our pets, sentimental mementos, emergency kits, and some clothes. The fire, named the Sunset Fire, was raging. As we got closer, we could see it. It was a horrifying visual.

Once we got off the freeway, we hit gridlock traffic in an active evacuation zone. We were three blocks away, and the only option was to run to the apartment, start loading up what I could, and take it to my husband in the car. I grabbed three cats and two dogs and rushed them to the car with a couple of bags of laptops, chargers, and other electronics.

Our neighborhood is close to the Hollywood Walk of Fame, a famous tourist destination. My road is lined with apartment buildings. It is a densely populated part of the city, and the burning park is a popular attraction for Angelenos and visitors alike. Thousands of people were pouring out onto the streets with suitcases, pets, bags, elderly and disabled loved ones. I was honestly so scared as I mixed into the chaos around me.

I ended up making three trips between the car and the apartment to grab things that we didn’t want to lose. A photo album with old photos of my family in Cuba and my husband’s family in West Virginia. A tie my grandfather gave to my father, who then gave it to me. A photo of my dog Peaches, who I had to put down in April 2020. The first piece of art my husband and I bought together during a trip to New Orleans. My favorite novel Pachinko. Prescription medication. Our marriage license. Passports. Social security cards. Framed photos.

Time was both at a standstill and racing at the same time 

Each time I came back to the apartment, the smoke was thicker in the neighborhood. The hot ashes were bigger and multiplying. My eyes were burning, and my throat was irritated. Again, I am one of the lucky ones. We got everything we needed into that car, and two friends took us in for the night as we watched the news for any indication that we could go back to our place.

At this moment, I pictured losing everything. My collection of cookbooks I have spent years curating and learning from. Knick knacks we have collected from trips around the world. Artwork that I love to see. It seems so trivial in the larger picture, but these are the things that I have collected and cherished over the years, and that one-bedroom apartment is my home in Los Angeles. Fortunately, due to the Santa Ana winds dying down, the Los Angeles Fire Department could extinguish the Sunset Fire that night and evacuation orders were lifted on the morning of January 9, 2025. We were able to go back home, something that so many Angelenos cannot say. We remain ready to evacuate again if needed, but we are lucky.

My story is just one of thousands of stories coming out of Los Angeles. People with only a moment’s notice to flee their homes and leave behind everything they have worked to build. I personally know four people who have lost their homes. Each one has said the same thing: “It burned to the ground.” Generations of mementos lost. Family historical photos, documents, and heirlooms lost.

As the Palisades and Eaton fires continue to rage, Angelenos need help. They need support as they get a clearer picture of everything they have lost and what they will need to do to rebuild. The city’s loss is palpable, and sadness is thick in the air. The streets are quiet and empty, and businesses and schools continue to close and reopen as the fires continue to burn. Los Angeles is hurting, and her people need help.

Here are some resources being made available for Los Angeles wildfire victims and ways you can help.

Resources for Los Angeles County residents affected by the wildfires

Food

  • The Los Angeles Regional Food Bank has several locations across the county for people who need food assistance after the wildfires. A full map of these locations is available here.
  • Some restaurants are offering free meals to those who have been impacted by the wildfires as well, including:
    • Blaze Pizza – Glendale: Free 11-inch pizzas in four cheese, pepperoni, Red Vine, and Herbivore. Located at 3210 Glendale Galleria.
    • Crustacean, 468 N Bedford Dr., in Beverly Hills
    • Dtown Pizzeria, 8424 Santa Monica Blvd #D, in West Hollywood
    • Dudley Market, 9 Dudley Ave, in Venice
    • Fiorelli Pizza, 1039 Abbot Kinney Blvd., in Venice
    • La Sorted’s, 2847 Sunset Blvd., in Los Angeles
    • Norms, participating locations
    • Sonoritas Prime Tacos, 2004 Sawtelle Blvd. (West LA) and 1050 Flower St. (DTLA)
    • Sora Craft Kitchen, 1109 E 12th St., in Los Angeles
    • Sunday Gravy, 1122 Centinela Ave., in Inglewood
    • Yeastie Boys, multiple locations
  • World Central Kitchen, led by José Andrés, has set up multiple locations across Los Angeles to feed those in need.

Housing

  • Airbnb and 211 LA are teaming up to offer Angelenos who have lost their homes during the fires free, temporary housing. To get accommodations, people need to fill out an intake form with 211 LA to apply for assistance.
  • The Queen Mary Hotel in Long Beach announced that it will be pricing rooms for fire evacuees at $189. The reservation includes a voucher for a breakfast buffet for two people. Pet and Historical Preservation fees have also been waived.
  • Visit Big Bear is working with local lodging facilities and homeowners to offer LA County fire evacuees discounted stays.
  • Visit Anaheim has a list of special hotel offers and assistance on its official website.

Transportation

  • Uber is offering people a free ride up to $40 to active evacuation centers for those who have been ordered to evacuate. The ride is only valid if going to an active evacuation center and can be accessed using the code WILDFIRE25.
  • Lyft is offering people two rides up to $25 each ($50 total) to the first 2,000 riders using the code CAFIRERELIEF25. This offer is good until 11:59 p.m. on January 15, 2025.

Storage

U-Haul has opened 92 locations across Los Angeles County for residents ordered to evacuate. Those who need somewhere to store their things can get 30 days of free storage at participating locations across Los Angeles County, including:

  • U-Haul Co. of Fresno (4 Stores)
    (559) 266-5134
    Participating store locations: Bakersfield
  • U-Haul Co. of Los Angeles East (11 Stores)
    (626) 859-4508
    Participating store locations: Baldwin Park, City of Industry, Covina, El Monte, Glendora, Los Angeles, Pico Rivera, Rosemead, Whittier
  • U-Haul Co. of Los Angeles South (8 Stores)
    (424) 329-5296
    Participating store locations: Bellflower, Gardena, Long Beach, Rancho Dominguez, Torrance
  • U-Haul Co. of Los Angeles West (13 Stores)
    (310) 532-9503
    Participating store locations: Cudahy, Hollywood, Huntington Park, Inglewood, Los Angeles, Lynwood, Santa Monica
  • U-Haul Co. of North Orange County (12 Stores)
    (714) 525-4717
    Participating store locations: Anaheim, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, La Habra, Placentia, Santa Ana, Tustin, Westminster
  • U-Haul Co. of Riverside (7 Stores)
    (951) 485-2007
    Participating store locations: Cathedral City, Corona, Hemet, Indio, Moreno Valley, Riverside
  • U-Haul Co. of San Bernardino (12 Stores)
    (909) 885-4378
    Participating store locations: Apple Valley, Barstow, Fontana, Ontario, Pomona, Redlands, Rialto, San Bernardino, Victorville
  • U-Haul Co. of San Fernando Valley (11 Stores)
    (661) 298-8222
    Participating store locations: Altadena, Burbank, Canyon Country, Glendale, Lancaster, Los Angeles, North Hollywood, Pasadena
  • U-Haul Co. of Van Nuys/San Luis Obispo (14 Stores)
    (818) 988-7008
    Participating store locations: Agoura Hills, Chatsworth, Lompoc, North Hills, Northridge, Oxnard, Panorama City, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, Simi Valley, Van Nuys, Ventura

Hygiene

  • Planet Fitness has opened its locations not affected by the wildfires to evacuated residents through January 15. This allows them to use locker rooms, showers, HydroMassage loungers, electrical outlets, and Wi-Fi.
  • UFC Gym is also opening its locations to residents and first responders affected by the wildfires to use locker rooms, showers, electrical outlets, and Wi-Fi until the end of January.

How can you help Los Angeles County residents who need help

American Red Cross | UCLA Health

UCLA Health’s dedicated fund supports the Red Cross’s efforts to provide emergency shelters, meals, medical care, emotional support, and recovery planning services. Bruins can also donate to the Red Cross’s general disaster relief fund and volunteer. Those seeking shelter or disaster relief services in Los Angeles can find them here.

California Fire Foundation

The California Fire Foundation provides aid to firefighters, their families, and those who are being affected by the wildfires.

Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation

The Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation is an official nonprofit of the Los Angeles City Fire Department. It focuses on equipping local firefighters and paramedics with the necessary tools to do their jobs.

Mutual Aid Los Angeles Network

The network provides details on how to​​ donate resources and where to turn for shelter and assistance. You can check out their comprehensive spreadsheet, which offers resources for those in need.

Los Angeles Regional Food Bank 

The Los Angeles Regional Food Bank is working with government agencies, nonprofit and faith-based partners, and others to respond to the fires throughout Los Angeles County. The bank is accepting food donations at its distribution centers and financial donations through its website.

World Central Kitchen

The World Central Kitchen is always involved in feeding people facing natural and manmade disasters. You can donate to help them with their mission to keep feeding those in need, especially in the current wildfires.

Emergency Network Los Angeles

The Emergency Network Los Angeles is a dedicated team that works to provide relief to those who are affected by disasters.

League of California Community Foundations

The League of California Community Foundations is helping to coordinate fundraising and relief efforts for people who are affected by the Palisades and Eaton fires.

L.A. Works

L.A. Works is a nonprofit organization that mobilizes thousands of volunteers to help communities when they need it most. They offer information on how you can help open your home to help those in need.

United Way of Greater Los Angeles

The United Way of Greater Los Angeles is an organization that puts emphasis on the long-term recovery following major disasters. You can donate to them to help them help people who have been affected by the wildfires.

Inclusivaction

Inclusivaction has launched an emergency fund to support outdoor workers in Los Angeles impacted by the recent fires, including street vendors, landscapers, recyclers, and others whose livelihoods depend on working in fire-affected areas.

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