In early January 2025, Los Angeles County began to face a series of deadly wildfires. After burning through more than 40,000 acres of land, destroying more than 16,000 structures and displacing more than 200,000 people. The fires consumed entire neighborhoods, leaving toxic debris and bringing destruction to houses, schools, community centers and places of worship—ultimately disrupting entire livelihoods. Though the fires were fully contained on January 31, entire neighborhoods have been demolished, and others left uninhabitable due to the toxic contaminants and damaged water systems. Affected community members have experienced profound financial and property losses, significant disruptions to school and work attendance—resulting in a loss of wages—and enormous mental and emotional stress as lives have been upended.
As affected residents face the long-term implications of the fires—including displacement, exacerbated health conditions and extreme property and financial loss—there is a heavy mental and emotional toll. Almost three months later, many affected Los Angeles residents are still working to navigate emergency paperwork and appointments with FEMA, insurance, work and housing while continuing to go to work, take children to school and otherwise live their lives. Long-term housing solutions remain scarce amid the backdrop of Los Angeles’ high-cost housing market; and there has been a notable increase in the number of unhoused individuals in Skid Row. Needs remain significant among affected residents, people at risk of or experiencing homelessness and the most vulnerable.
International Medical Corps, headquartered in Los Angeles, deployed an Emergency Response Team within 24 hours of the first fire outbreak. We immediately began operating in close communication with state, county and local responders—including the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), the California Emergency Medical Services Authority (EMSA) and the LA Mayor’s office— on coordination efforts. Since initiating our response, International Medical Corps has distributed 4,903 wound-care kits, more than 39,000 hygiene items and 35,600 KN95 masks directly to community members and displaced residents at both the Pasadena Convention Center shelter and the Santa Anita Park Way Community Distribution Center. International Medical Corps is working to quickly facilitate and distribute thousands of additional supplies to federally qualified health center partners and local organizations.
International Medical Corps is committed to the long-term and sustainable recovery of Los Angeles communities, and is working to fill gaps and provide surge resources for local partners, to help them meet an increase in healthcare needs as a result of the wildfires. To date, we've partnered with five health community clinic and nonprofit organization partners to:
• provide $400,000 of housing allowances for rental support and critical household essentials for community clinic staff and clients;
• surge mental health capacity and services for clinics and affected communities;
• meet increased needs for homelessness services providers, including a recent delivery of 98 air purifiers, 74 nebulizers, 500 wound-care kits and 144 hygiene kits to a partner community-based organization serving people experiencing homelessness across Los
Angeles; and
• facilitate emergency management training to help partners prepare for and respond to future emergencies.
By supporting this project, you can help bring urgently needed medical care and supplies to the people affected by the Los Angeles wildfires as they rebuild and recover from this disaster.
When you support this project or create a giving opportunity of your own, you can make a lifesaving difference for families affected by crises in the United States.
*Please Note for Recurring Donations: Once we have determined that the community can continue to respond to the after-effects of this emergency without us, we will scale back our response efforts. At that time, we will redirect your future donations where they are needed most to help us respond to future outbreaks of conflict, disease or disaster.
