Los Angeles fires: How to help from afar

Finding ways to help from afar in the wake of natural disasters, like the Los Angeles fires, isn't always straightforward.

Despite the best of intentions, people can sometimes do more harm than good by overwhelming local organizations with unneeded donations or inadvertently detract from relief efforts by making uninformed decisions about how to best donate or volunteer.

And then there are the scams. The chaotic aftermath of disasters is a prime environment for scammers to set up fraudulent funding campaigns or otherwise exploit the situation for nefarious purposes, siphoning off needed donations from well-meaning people.

If you're looking for ways to help victims and recovery efforts of the LA fires, here's a handy guide for how to find reliable resources. We've also provided some best practices for navigating the situation online.

Find out where to donate

Considered one of the most devastating fires in Los Angeles history, there's an overwhelming number of people who need help, and subsequently, a glut of information about their needs, leading to confusion about how to help.

If you're trying to sift through this mountain of information for things you can do, start by researching verified and trustworthy organizations that are working on the ground so that the money or goods you donate goes to the right places. Look to local and federal government and established non-profit sites that provide vetted resources.

The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) and the official California website have regular updates on what's needed and where to donate. For monetary donations, the LAFD lists its foundation for providing firefighting equipment and supplies, the California Community Foundation’s Wildfire Recovery Fund, the American Red Cross, and the Salvation Army as options. The LAFD has also linked LAworks.com which supports local Los Angeles non-profits for volunteer opportunities and resources.

California's official website, CA.gov also has a list of vetted organizations to donate money and volunteer opportunities through the Office of the Governor's California Volunteers department.

The Mutual Aid Los Angeles Network (MALAN), a hub for mutual aid efforts and resources, has a regularly updated database of local organizations and information on what they're requesting and volunteer needs.

If you're looking to directly help individuals and families that have been displaced by the fires, GoFundMe has a dedicated section of fundraising campaigns that have been verified by the site's Trust and Safety team.

The Pasadena Humane Society is no longer accepting pet supply donations, but they are still in need of monetary donations, which can be made here.

Find out how to best donate and what these organizations need

While doing your research, look carefully and frequently at what organizations do and don't need. The LAFD urges people not to drop off donations at fire stations and shelters, because it "impacts the critical operations of these frontline responders." Similarly, the City of Pasadena announced on X that it is "overwhelmed with the amount [of food and other basic supplies] and we are no longer accepting additional donations."

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Organizations will often specify what items are needed. Secondhand clothes or used/opened packages of food and toiletries might not always be welcome. MALAN, the LA-based mutual aid network, has been providing real-time, detailed information on what each donation drive needs and whether they're accepting volunteers.

On that note, there's an impulse to show up on an organization's doorstep ready to pitch in. However, training volunteers often requires time and effort which could be better spent elsewhere during an ongoing disaster like the LA fires. So double check with their sites and social media accounts for updated information on how to best volunteer your time or resources. Sometimes the most-needed resource is simply money.

Share trusted information

With emotions running high and social media doing what it always does, misinformation thrives during crises like the LA fires.

When firefighting efforts in the Pacific Palisades ran out of water, rumors that it was due to broken fire hydrants prompted the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power to set the record straight. The fire hydrants weren't broken, it was because of "unprecedented and extreme water demand to fight the wildfire without aerial support."

Viral satellite images of the burning Altadena don't actually depict fire, it's infrared imaging showing heat maps of the blaze. So while the devastation is real, that's not what the fire looked like to the naked eye.

Meanwhile, fact-checking sites like Snopes and Politifact have been busy debunking false looting claims, misleading claims about budget cuts, and finger-pointing from politicians.

Now is an especially good time read social media with extra scrutiny, and think carefully before reposting or sharing something online. Ask yourself whether a post seems like rage-bait, about the original source of the information, and whether you have enough context of the news you're reading.

A good strategy for quickly evaluating online information you might want to share is the SIFT method, which was developed by digital literacy expert Mike Caulfield. SIFT is an acronym that stands for 1. Stop, 2. Investigate the source, 3. Find better coverage, and 4. Trace claims, quotes, and media to the original context.

At the very least, be careful about what information you believe, and re-share, from your social media feeds.

Beware of scams

Scammers prey on people during times like these by exploiting their emotional investment and capitalizing on the situation's urgency and seriousness. Aside from luring people to donate through fake fundraising campaigns, scammers also go on the offensive, targeting people through phishing calls, texts, emails and direct messages on social media.

Through social engineering, they might not even directly ask for money, but tease sensitive information from you, like contact information and passwords, under the guise of needing help or offering help on your behalf. If you're donating outside of official channels, like sending money through Venmo or shipping supplies to someone, it's best to go through trusted networks of people you know or people who can vouch for them.

If you think someone is trying to scam you, the Federal Trade Commission and the Better Business Bureau have some tips. Find out specific information about the charity that you can research and verify and don't give them any money or personal information until you've verified the organization.

Scammers will often emphasize the urgency of the situation and try and get you to donate immediately. But legitimate charities will have websites with secure donating portals, so if it's a real organization you can always look it up and donate later.