With multiple wildfires burning across Ventura and Los Angeles counties this week, thousands of Southern California residents are evacuating or permanently displaced. At least five have died, a number expected to increase as firefighters are able to contain flames, and many more have been injured.
Non-stop apocalyptic videos and images shared in real time via social media, the same week Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announces his platforms will do away with fact checking. AccuWeather, the weather forecasting service, has estimated the damage and total economic loss at $52-57 billion — also expected to increase as the fires continue to burn. It’s a lot. And it can make you feel helpless.
But there’s so much that you (yes, you!) can do to help those who have been impacted, including many salon professionals, across Southern California. Scroll for some quick actions that can make a tremendous impact in real people’s lives.
Donate to the Professional Beauty Association’s Disaster Relief Fund
If you want to make sure that you’re directly helping salon professionals, make sure you donate to PBA’s Disaster Relief Fund. 100% of all Disaster Relief funds raised go directly to beauty industry professionals affected by natural disasters. In 2024, over $400,000 was awarded to 880 professionals, providing critical support when they needed it most.
The PBA Disaster Relief Fund is a program of the PBA Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Donations made to PBA Foundation are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by U.S. law.
If you are in need of disaster relief, you can apply for aid here.
Donate to the California Fire Foundation
Among reports that LA county firefighters “were overwhelmed and outgunned” by these catastrophic fires, there are calls for donations to the California Fire Foundation which provides aid and resources to both fire crews (now coming in across the state) and residents who have been impacted.
Your contribution is tax-deductible through the California Fire Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
Donate to the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation
If you would prefer, you could donate to the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation, which is the official nonprofit of the LA City Fire Department. The organization supports over 3,000 local firefighters and paramedics by providing equipment and tools to help them fight wildfires effectively.
Consider Mutual Aid
Organizations like the Mutual Aid LA Network have gone to painstaking lengths to document resources to seek and support with a live google doc!
Go to tiny.cc/malan-fire (the above mentioned google doc) for locations in Southern California that are in need of supplies and or volunteers. You can also donate here.
