Many Latter-day Saints have evacuated and some have lost their homes to the raging California wildfires. Meanwhile, the headquarters of the Church of Jesus Christ has begun to provide emergency relief.
About 1,000 church members evacuated and 30 families lost their homes, according to an update provided Friday evening by the Church.
Meetinghouses of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints also have been made available for community staging and shelter.
The Bishops’ Central Storehouse in Salt Lake City and local bishops’ storehouses in southern California are providing emergency supplies. For example, the church delivered 1,500 cases of bottled water on Friday to the areas most impacted by the wildfires, according to the update.
A person walks amid the destruction left behind by the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. | Jae C. Hong
“Local leaders deeply appreciate the outpouring of support and willingness to volunteer from so many,” the update said. “Until this is needed, those who wish to help can donate to the church’s humanitarian efforts or offer volunteer support through local organizations.”
All of the church’s missionaries in the region are safe and accounted for and continue to serve. The Los Angeles Temple closed on Wednesday but reopened Thursday and is operating on its regular schedule, the church statement said.
The fires have killed 11 people and damaged or destroyed more than 12,000 structures, the Los Angeles Times reported. Over 150,000 people are under evacuation orders.
“Our prayers are with those who have lost their homes and are displaced and for the first responders,” Elder Mark A. Bragg, president of the Church of Jesus Christ’s North America West Area, said in a statement issued Thursday. “We mourn with those who have experienced loss and ask for the Savior’s comforting spirit to be with them. We also express gratitude for the acts of faith and work sustaining those affected by this crisis.”