As a Los Angeles resident, I’ve personally seen dozens of peers opening their doors to those in evacuation zones, fostering displaced pets, rushing to donate necessities, and doing whatever they can to spread the word about urgent resources—from local evacuation shelters and restaurants offering free food to ways to stay safe from smoke inhalation —all while monitoring wildfire apps like Watch Duty and preparing for their own potential evacuations.

Fires ripping through the Los Angeles area have killed at least 16 people, displaced thousands of others and destroyed more than 12,000 structures while burning through an area larger than the city of San Francisco.