As of December 7, an estimated 96,000 acres have been ravaged by the Thomas Fire and more than 50,000 mandatory evacuations have been issued in Ventura County. This unpredictable fire has rapidly grown in Ventura County and has expanded into Santa Barbara County. Only 5 percent of the fire has been contained and Cal Fire officials are anticipating challenging weather conditions making it difficult to combat.
Click on the fire map to view general locations of the Thomas Fire and other major fires burning in California.
In response to the devastation caused by the Thomas Fire, many national and local organizations are providing relief to victims in the affected areas by supplying food, shelter and other necessities. If you would like to know how you can help, take a look at these organizations below:
- Direct Relief’s mission is to improve the health and lives of people affected by poverty and emergencies. Direct Relief is responding to the Southern California wildfires by delivering respiratory supplies and emergency medicines to facilities caring for patients in those communities.
- American Red Cross aims to mobilize the power of volunteers and generosity of donors to prevent and alleviate suffering in the face of emergencies. They are working hard to provide shelter, food, blankets, and additional emergency supplies to the affected counties, and are in need of both volunteers and donations.
- United Way of Ventura County’s mission is to improve lives by mobilizing the caring power of communities. The organization has teamed up with American Red Cross of Ventura County and the Ventura County Sheriff's Office of Emergency Services to create the Thomas Fire Fund.
- A community member has created a GoFundMe page to help raise funds for the immediate relief of families that have lost their homes. All donations will be used to buy clothing, food, and other necessities.
For more information and updates on the Thomas Fire, please visit https://www.countyofsb.org/thomasfire.sbc