From donations to animal care, here’s how you can help victims of the Caldor Fire

The Caldor Fire, raging in the Eldorado National Forest, has prompted evacuations of thousands of residents and charred homes in Grizzly Flats and beyond. As the fire continues, here are some ways that unaffected residents can help victims of the blaze.

The primary way that Californians can help wildfire victims is by donating to victim relief funds. Relief funds help those affected by wildfires with everyday expense as they wait out evacuation orders or, in some circumstances, as they work to rebuild their homes.

Here are some funds that are helping victims of the Caldor Fire:

▪ The El Dorado Community Foundation: The Community Foundation has set up a Caldor Fire Fund that will be disbursed to victims of the blaze. All donations to the fund go directly to those impacted by the fire.

“These are our friends, neighbors, and families” reads the foundation’s website. “With your support, we can help to make a difference in the lives of those who need us now more than ever.”

Donate here.

▪ The American Red Cross of Northern California: The Red Cross is currently operating three shelters for victims of the Caldor Fire, two of which are full and one of which is still taking in evacuees. For residents who would like to help, the Red Cross requests monetary donations rather than physical donations to the shelter, as staff at shelters are occupied helping evacuated residents.

Residents can donate to the Northern California Red Cross here.

▪ The Salvation Army: Teams from the Salvation Army are currently preparing and serving meals at two Caldor Fire shelters. The team is currently equipped to serve 270 meals per day to Caldor Fire evacuees. Salvation Army teams are also aiding at shelters near the Dixie Fire and Monument Fires.

To support its work, the Salvation Army asks residents to donate to its wildfire relief fund. Donations go to food assistance as well as financial assistance for evacuees and other necessary wildfire needs.

▪ Verified GoFundMe fundraisers: GoFundMe has a designated page that highlights fundraisers for those affected by Northern California wildfires. Over thirty individual evacuees from the Caldor Fire have posted fundraisers on GoFundMe seeking monetary assistance as they face evacuations or rebuild their homes.

All fundraisers are verified by GoFundMe’s trust and safety team.

View the fundraisers and donate here.

▪ El Dorado County animal needs: As thousands evacuate their homes, many are forced to drop their pets off temporarily at shelters. The El Dorado County Animal Shelter has taken in most of the pets from the Caldor Fire, and is in need of resources and supplies.

In a social media post, El Dorado County urged residents to donate money toward animal-related needs using this link. The donation site prompts donors to specify the cause to which they would like to donate; residents can input requests such as “Caldor Fire animal relief.”

Sacramento SPCA, a local Sacramento animal shelter, has been helping transport owner-less animals from El Dorado County to Sacramento to clear space in El Dorado County for pets coming from the Caldor Fire. To support this work, Sacramento residents can donate to Sacramento SPCA, volunteer, donate supplies or foster or adopt animals. Visit the Sacramento SPCA site to learn more.

Beyond financial donations, residents can help Candor Fire evacuees by remaining off of major roads coming out of the fire area. Highway 50 saw severe delays Tuesday as residents scrambled to evacuate from Pollock Pines and surrounding areas. If you are not evacuating, attempt to steer clear of the highway to help evacuations run smoothly.

This story was originally published August 18, 2021 at 10:40 AM with the headline "From donations to animal care, here’s how you can help victims of the Caldor Fire."