I’ll make it short, but I want to thank all those who have reached out to see whether we’re safe. Last night was a bit harrowing as the Sunset Fire in the Hollywood Hills (now contained) was visible (orange, furious, enormous rising out of the dark hills just west of the Hollywood sign) from our house, but we are safe. Oliver jumped into his car to go get our uncle who lives in an assisted living place in Hollywood that was under evacuation orders, but the car was stopped and roads were blocked by SWAT tanks, so he had to turn back. The facility had an excellent evacuation plan, and every member was relocated to a hotel downtown and all is well with them. So many, as you know, aren’t. I feel nearly embarrassingly safe given the utter destruction just miles from me.
I think the main thing I want you to know is that despite this being a vast city of incredibly diverse neighborhoods and people, despite the wackiness of the city, despite every stereotype you’ve heard and even believed, most of us who live here know and love all its vastness, and you could say it feels small. We drive miles and miles in traffic (that we complain about it’s no big deal, I’ll be there soon! ) to visit one another, to shop in different neighborhoods, to revel in the beauty of the Palisades, or the ocean below it, and to hike on the trails in Altadena/Eaton Canyon. My children have friends in these neighborhoods and have played games in the schools that have burned down. We love these places and this landscape deeply and viscerally, and you can feel that sense of community and love, especially, now. I’m not naive — I have only an inkling of the terror felt by those in the direct fires, and I have no idea what it would be like to lose every single thing, but I feel incredible grief for our beloved city and bewilderment about the future.
Here’s another updated list of places that you can donate or help in some way, but please do me a favor. Whenever you hear someone or read something that puts down the city, mocks California, our governor, our mayor or whatever, tell them to shut up. This is not the time. Find the truth and tell the truth. Ask someone how they are doing and offer to help. We’ll get to the rest later.
Here’s an updated list (please send more links if you have them). If the links don’t work, they do on my previous post, so please either scroll down or go there: Safe, Shocked, Grateful, How to Help.
For Evacuation and Shelter Info: Dial 2-1-1
Stay alert through Calalerts.org
Donate to the Red Cross by texting REDCROSS to 90999
Give to wildfire relief through calfund.org/wildfire-relief
To help displaced pets, check local animal shelters
Donate to the Dream Center, an L.A.-based charitable organization that’s offering emergency shelter to those evacuated in the Palisades and Eaton Canyon Fires.
Donate to Friends in Deed, a nonprofit providing services for the homeless, as it opens its Bad Weather Shelter amid the fires.
The California Fire Foundation provides resources to firefighters, fallen firefighters, their families and the communities they serve.
Donate to Direct Relief’s California Fire Relief, which provides N-95 masks, medicine, and resources to health-care agencies and first responders in areas affected by wildfires.
The California Community Fund has a recovery fund dedicated to helping victims of wildfires. You can donate here.
Donate to the Wildfire Relief Fund at the American Red Cross. If you’re located in the Los Angeles area and can offer temporary foster care to dogs displaced by the wildfires, sign up at the Canine Rescue Club.
Mutual Aid LA's Network (MALAN)- Fire & Wind Storm Resources : Available Resources Google Sheet to support the cause- tiny.cc/malan-fire
H.O.D.G (Hang out do good): hangoutdogood.com (my neighborhood's kick-ass organization that does all kinds of things. They have a Wildfire Help List on their website where you can offer help or receive help
Info about air quality: Air Now
YMCA Koreatown location: taking donations of unopened food, bread, jam, etc., blankets, emergency supplies and dog and cat food (4301 W 3rd Street)
Lagartijas Climbing Cru: a local BIPOC climbing club has a Google spreadsheet to connect fire victims with people who will donate gear and dehydrated meals
Elizabeth, I am so glad you and yours are safe. It's unbelievably sad there. It will be a long road back for everyone. I remember those Santa Ana winds from when I lived in San Diego.
L.A. is a great city. No match for climate change and hurricane force winds. People who are throwing shade don't know diddly squat. Shame on them.
Watching in disbelief from the east coast.
May the winds quiet down. The fires dissipate. And we all come together to rebuild not just places but those spaces internally that have experienced loss. Stay safe!