WCK's Southern California Wildfire Response (Sept. 2024)

World Central Kitchen’s Relief Team arrived in southern California Sunday evening to provide meals and cold drinks to people evacuating their homes in San Bernardino County as wildfires burn with minimal containment.

The Line Fire was discovered Thursday and has since spread to cover more than 21,200 acres, with only 3 percent containment. The rugged dry terrain of the mountains north and east of San Bernardino, plus extremely high temperatures and lightning storms, contributed to the fire quadrupling in size over the weekend.

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection has issued immediate evacuation orders for 11,000 people in the surrounding areas citing “an immediate threat to life.” More than 1,700 firefighters are working to control the blaze which threatens more than 36,000 structures. Multiple shelters are open for families forced to evacuate, and WCK has set up a new distribution point in case further evacuation orders are given in Lake Arrowhead.

We are working closely with many of the same local authorities and previous partners in the county as we provide meals to people evacuating from the Line Fire and assess the need for additional meals in area shelters. This remains a quickly evolving situation.

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WCK is first to the frontlines, providing meals in response to humanitarian, climate, and community crises. When disaster strikes, WCK’s Relief Team mobilizes to the frontlines with the urgency of now to start cooking and provide meals to people in need. By partnering with organizations on the ground and activating a network of local restaurants, food trucks, or emergency kitchens, WCK serves comforting meals to survivors of disasters quickly and effectively. We know that good food provides not only nourishment, but also comfort and hope, especially in times of crisis.

WCK has provided more than 400 million fresh, nourishing meals for communities around the world. Your donation today will be used to support our emergency food relief efforts.

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