As Fires Burn in California, Celebrities Pitch in to Feed People
When the fires forced some of these celebs to leave their own homes, they knew they had to help others.
As wild fires continue to burn in California, a few celebrities have been helping to keep communities and first responders well-fed.
In Northern California where the Kincade Fire is still only about 15% contained and has grown to 76,138 acres, a number of local chefs have joined together to prepare food with World Central Kitchen, a non-profit led by celebrity chef José Andrés. WCK works with trained chefs and local volunteers to provide emergency relief to communities worldwide, and they're often the first on the ground after a disaster strikes.
Here's one of the WCK chefs giving an update on this week's relief efforts in Sonoma, CA:

(Source: @WCKitchen)
We first introduced you to Andrés and WCK in our previous Sparkt story:
Celebrity Chef Sets up Kitchens in Bahamas to Help Feed Storm Survivors
This time, Andrés has joined forces with other well-known chefs like Guy Fieri and Tyler Florence to get kitchens up and running in northern California. They've been working around the clock to prepare food for evacuees and first responders, and with meals like roasted pork loin with local pumpkins and squash, it sounds like those escaping (and battling) the blaze will be well fed.
Celebrity chef Guy Fieri (pictured second from left) joined forces with WCK to help feed evacuees and first responders during the Kincade Fire.
In the southern part of the state, where the Getty and Tick fires continues to rage, NBA star LeBron James is doing his part to make sure the people fighting the fire in his new hometown are taken care of. James, who was forced to evacuate his own home in Brentwood on Monday night, sent a well-stocked taco truck to feed firefighters and first responders.
"It definitely takes a lot of bravery, a lot of commitment, a lot of sacrifice in any job that you take, but when you're at the risk of your life any time you're called upon, it's a different type of mind state that you have to be in," James told ESPN. "So, it definitely doesn't go without notice and without appreciation."
The Getty Fire has burned over 650 acres since Monday and conditions have gotten so bad that the National Weather Service has given the area an "extreme red flag" warning due to the especially fire-prone conditions. It's the first time this type of warning has ever been given.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti posted a few photos of the responders enjoying tacos to Twitter:
(Source: @MayorOfLA )
There are a variety of ways for you to help victims of the California fires, including donating or signing up to volunteer with World Central Kitchen.
Here are a few other organizations you can consider supporting to help the wildfire victims:
- Redwood Empire Food Bank is accepting donations at several locations throughout Sonoma Country and is providing food at shelters in the area.
- Community Foundation Sonoma County Resilience Fund is a long-term fund first started in 2017 that you can donate to. It is a source of long-term aid for Sonoma County.
- Red Cross LA is accepting donations. You can also call 1-800-RED CROSS, or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.