Hello, my name is Luke. I am fundraising for all fire victims in California-both current and future. California undergoes more wildfires than any other state in the U.S., at around 62,805 per year. California receives around 21 inches of rainfall per year, a very small amount compared to somewhere else in the U.S. like Washington which receives more than triple that, at around 73 inches per year.

Because of the little rainfall in California and effects of global warming, wildfires have become far more prevalent over the years in California. In 1983, there was 1.3 million acres of land burned in California, versus the 10.1 million acres of land burned in 2020. This is mainly because of the effects of global warming increasing during this time span, including creating warmer and drier environments, which increases drought and boosts the prevalence of wildfires.

American Red Cross is a non-profit that provides comfort, food, and supplies for victims of all disasters, including wildfires. They respond to around 60,000 disasters in the U.S. per year, a lot of them including fires. In 2021 the American Red Cross has provided shelter, food, and comfort for victims of wildfires. For more information on the company, visit redcross.org.

Everything and anything is appreciated. Even a donation of $10 or $20 would be great. Thank you so much.

And to offer some background - I am currently one of fifty international high school students participating in a Climate Fellowship. In this work, we have each been tasked with finding a climate based need in our own community. I originally planned to collect items for those stricken by fires, but thankfully this year hasn't been as awful as it could have been and it's hard to find storage for large items for future victims. As a result, I pivoted to raising money for the Red Cross.