Disaster Relief Fundraising
The air became unbreathable and I saw the sun disappear behind thick smoke. Ash fell from the sky. The mountains that would have been clearly visible on any other day were engulfed in flames.
The Thomas Fire was a massive wildfire that affected Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties, and one of multiple wildfires that ignited in southern California in December 2017. It burned approximately 281,893 acres (440 sq mi; 114,078 ha) - an area larger than New York City - before being fully contained on January 12, 2018, making it the largest wildfire in modern California history at the time, being surpassed by the Ranch Fire, part of the Mendocino Complex, less than a year later in August 2018.
To make matters worse, the rain after the Thomas Fire heavily affected the Montecito, California area by causing mudslides and debris flow. It washed away homes, cars, and claimed the lives of 23 people.
The trails which I regularly volunteered to maintain before the fires were destroyed or vanished. The community which I lived and worked in was heavily affected. To help with disaster relief, I continued to maintain trails with the Los Padres Forest Association and Santa Barbara Bucket Brigade, and recover flooded homes. I also sold my artwork, as seen on the water bottles, to raise 2000 USD for disaster relief. You can find stories of my projects below.
