Running wild across Southern California, the flames of angry, red fires lick the air as 31,000 Los Angeles residents are ushered out of the city in a billow of smoke just this week. As acres of land are swept by the heat, the City of Angels is quite literally on fire.

“They didn’t just lose their homes, they lost everything. Things they can’t get back,” Ella Lin ‘26 said.

88,000 residents and its surrounding areas were under evacuation orders to flee both their homes and their lives. This week as two new fires have emerged 31,000 additional residents have been advised to evacuate. At least 24 people have died and nearly 14,000 firefighters and personnel have been deployed from around the United States to aid in fighting the fires.

As Southern California is consumed by a deadly inferno that only seems to be burning brighter, there have been criticisms of the LA Fire Department and LA Mayor Karen Bass. Despite the response from politics in the wake of tragedy, there have been outstanding acts of human compassion in response to the LA wildfires.

“I feel sad, but also in a way it makes you feel good because you see all these people coming together to help people they don’t even know. Even though it takes these tragedies for us to come together, humanity is still good,” Paige Mattle ‘26 said.

Donations have poured into fire relief organizations from all across the country, and the United States has received aid from Canada and Mexico, as the nations sent firefighters and personnel to help douse the burning city of LA.

Social media feeds, posts, and stories have been flooded with stories, images, and links all relating to the tragedy to raise awareness and promote fire relief.

“I have one friend who visited the house where she lived at, and nothing was there,” Annika Bhadra ‘26 said.

Many celebrities have also made significant contributions and donations, such as Beyoncé, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Eva Longoria.

As young women of Mount Saint Joseph Academy, we are taught and encouraged to step up in times of crisis and to be leaders of compassion. There is no better time than now to step up as a fellow American and human being to help in any way we can.

What Can Mounties Do to Help? 

1. Make financial donations to relief organizations.

Any contribution really does make a difference, big or small, and this is an accessible way to aid LA from here on the East coast since we cannot directly volunteer in California. While we can’t be in LA on the ground volunteering, we can financially support and back the organizations and charities that are providing fire relief and responding directly to the LA crisis.

If you give up your Starbucks order even a day or two during the week, that is easily $15 you can donate to relief for the fires. You can give up getting fries in the cafeteria or a snack in the Magic Shoppe and donate that money to help LA. Making a difference can come from even the smallest sacrifices.

Here are some organizations you can donate to:

• California Community Foundation Wildfire Recovery Fund 
• Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation
• Los Angeles Police Foundation
• 211 LA
• Direct Relief
• Greater Los Angeles Education Foundation 
• Habitat For Humanity of Greater Los Angeles
• Los Angeles Regional Food Bank

You can also directly financially support individuals impacted by the fire through GoFundMe.

2. Donate blood to the Red Cross if you are an eligible donor.

While this is not practical for everyone depending on their health, lifestyle, and other factors, if you are an eligible donor it could make a significant difference to donate blood to the Red Cross. Only about 3% of eligible donors actually give blood each year despite a constant need of blood, and the Red Cross is especially in need of blood in the wake of a national crisis. Winter tends to be a time with a low amount of blood donations, and January is National Blood Donor Month, so it is the perfect time to donate and make a difference.

How to donate blood:

• Visit RedCrossBlood.org to see blood drives and times near you.
• Download the Red Cross Blood Donor App.
• Call 800-733-2767.

3. Raise awareness and encourage others to help in any way they can. 

It only takes seconds to repost a GoFundMe or send a link to a friend about a relief organization. You can talk to your friends and family to encourage them to make a difference. This is an opportunity to utilize social media in a positive way and connect with people who need help. Hear their stories and then respond with human compassion.