Staff Writers
The month of October was not easy for the citizens and wildlife of California. Since the middle of October, multiple wild fires have come ablaze throughout many counties in Northern California due to the extreme dryness in the area. According to the Washington Post, as of Nov. 1 about 42 people are dead, and over 100,000 people are displaced. More than 8,400 homes and buildings have been destroyed, with more than 160,000 acres burned; and the fires aren’t all out yet. The fires in Tubbs, Sonoma, and Napa counties have now been ranked as the deadliest wildfire disaster in California history by SFGate.
While most of the flames have been contained, firefighters are still tirelessly working to put out the remaining fires and make sure the state is in the clear. Though the next big problem for Californians will be the ash. Scientists and Americans are currently trying to figure out how badly soil and water will be contaminated because these fires burned more than just vegetation. The fires burned through the wildlife land and into parts of cities. Associate Director of environmental health for the US Geological Survey, Geoffrey Plumlee, told Mother Jones: “For how many structures that were burned in fairly small areas in these fires, I think that’s a first-of-its-kind event. The concern is, can they get it cleaned up before the heavy rains come?” There will be more updates on this as the days go on.
There are many websites to donate to help people in California who are out of houses and jobs, such as the California Fire Relief Foundation, which is on GoFundMe.com. There is also the Napa Valley Community Foundation, which is one that has been recommended to send money for families in need. Napa County officials ask for people to stop sending food and start sending money for supplies. Multiple Facebook groups are open to give updates on the survivors as well as status of the fire. The city of Santa Rosa is working with the United Way to help distribute funds for when insurance money runs out. Overall, this natural disaster has ripped across California leaving many without shelter, food, or water. With donations, the state will be able to come back together as one.
