
Donate to the California Wildfire Recovery
As wind-blown wildfires ravage Los Angeles County, United Methodists are doing what they can to offer shelter and address immediate needs.
They are also starting to count their own losses — which include the destruction of church members’ homes and the buildings of at least two United Methodist churches.
“I’ve never seen anything like it in my life, and I’ve been through two earthquakes and other fires,” said the Rev. Garth Gilliam, superintendent of the California-Pacific Conference’s North District. “I’ve never seen the vast scope of blocks and blocks of homes just gone.”
Since Jan. 7, firefighters in southern California have been battling to control a series of major fires, fueled by dry conditions and fanned by ferocious Santa Ana winds. They include the Palisades firestorm close to the California coast, the Eaton fire north of Pasadena, the Hurst fire in the San Fernando Valley and the Sunset fire in Hollywood Hills.
The flames already have consumed thousands of structures across more than 50 square miles. Roughly 400,000 California customers have experienced power outages, and more than 180,000 people have needed to evacuate. At least 10 people have died.
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