Updated February 19, 2025

Thousands of Californians are devastated by the catastrophic wildfires that wiped out their homes, cherished mementos and even their livelihoods. With neighborhoods reduced to ash, the American Red Cross is there providing help and hope with necessities like food, shelter, emotional care, recovery planning and financial assistance.

How we've helped so far (as of 2/19/25):

• Since we began the program on Jan. 15, we have distributed more than 9.8 million dollars into the hands of people who have lost everything from these devastating fires. 
• 8,170 households have received this financial assistance to help meet immediate needs. 
• Two emergency shelters remain open more than a month after the devastating wildfires.
• Our Shelter Resident Transition teams are continuing to support households with resources to move out of emergency sheltering and onto their next step.   
• We have provided 19,341 overnight stays in Red Cross emergency congregate shelters. 
• We have provided more than 163,500 meals and snacks.
• 3,289 emergency cleanup kits were distributed, along with more than 199,000 other emergency supplies to help 22,084 households. 
• There are 328 trained Red Cross responders currently assigned to the operation. Since we began, more than 1,130 trained Red Cross disaster workers have supported the critical work in response to these devastating fires.  
• The Red Cross is working closely with local officials, government agencies and other nonprofits to coordinate relief efforts and make recovery plans. This support includes Disaster Recovery Centers in Los Angeles and Pasadena where people can access resources and aid from multiple organizations. Specialized task forces have been established to support immediate and long-term needs alongside community and government partners, including feeding, veteran care and long-term housing.
• Shelters will remain open for the coming weeks, but the ultimate goal is to help everyone transition into more permanent housing solutions. Red Cross caseworkers are working diligently with all shelter residents to help plan their next steps and connect them with other community resources.
• The Red Cross is providing financial assistance to impacted households. We are actively doing outreach to eligible individuals via email, text message, or phone call directly from the American Red Cross. To learn more about financial assistance, please visit redcross.org/gethelp. People can also call 211 or visit 211LA for help. We strongly encourage people to apply for federal aid at disasterassistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-3362. It’s important to know that eligibility for Red Cross assistance is not connected to FEMA. You don’t need approval from FEMA to get help from the Red Cross, and receiving money from the Red Cross won’t impact your eligibility for FEMA assistance or insurance payouts.
• Read stories from those affected by the fires

Red Cross shelters are open to everyone in need

Pets are welcome, and all disaster assistance is provided free of charge. We provide safe shelter, comfort, and care without regard to personal status or background—ensuring that support is available to all during times of crisis.

Los refugios de la Cruz Roja Americana están abiertos a cualquier persona que los necesite. Se admiten mascotas y toda la asistencia en caso de desastre es gratuita. Ofrecemos refugio seguro, consuelo y atención sin importar la condición social ni los antecedentes, garantizando así que el apoyo esté disponible para todos en tiempos de crisis.

How to Find Help

Many areas remain inaccessible. If you need assistance, please consider coming to a shelter.

• If you can, download the Red Cross Emergency app to find service locations or visit redcross.org/gethelp.
• You can also find shelters by following your local Red Cross and local emergency officials on social media, or by monitoring local news.
• If you’re unable to access the information you need, call 1-800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767).

Help finding a loved one

Those needing assistance locating a missing loved one because of the fires can reach us at 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). Please provide as much detail as possible to assist us in potentially locating your missing loved one.

Learn more about Red Cross assistance

• Call 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767) - 24 hours a day
• Download our free Red Cross Emergency App

Recovering Emotionally After a Disaster - to reach out for free 24/7 counseling or support, call or text the multilingual Disaster Distress Helpline at 1-800-985-5990.

Disasters are upsetting experiences for everyone involved. Children, senior citizens, people with disabilities and people for whom English is not their first language are especially at risk and are likely to need extra care and help. But everyone, even the people that others look up to for guidance and assistance, is entitled to their feelings and deserves support throughout the recovery process.  Call our Disaster Distress Helpline or read more here.