Wind-driven wildfires tore through Colorado, displacing tens of thousands of people and damaging hundreds of homes. Here’s what you need to know and how to help Colorado wildfire survivors through community-led relief efforts.
Nearly 1,000 homes and other buildings were destroyed after the Colorado wildfires torched about 6,000 acres.
Source: The AP
In the towns of Louisville, Superior, and nearby areas, approximately 35,000 residents were ordered to evacuate from the Colorado wildfires. Many people had only minutes to flee from the “suburban and urban fire,” according to Colorado Gov. Jared Polis. At least one first responder and six people were injured, and teams continued searching Monday for two missing people. No deaths have been reported.
Source: NBC News + USA Today
Intense drought and 105-mph winds created the conditions for the fire to spread rapidly. Authorities initially suspected the blazes were caused by a downed power line, but none were found in the area. Investigators are still looking for the cause and have narrowed their search to a neighborhood near Boulder where a passer-by recorded video of a burning shed on the day the fire started.
As the climate crisis disrupts weather patterns, wildfires in the American West have been growing bigger and spreading faster.
Source: The New York Times + Source: ABC News
[Help Colorado wildfire survivors with a donation to GlobalGiving’s Colorado Wildfire Relief Fund.]
GlobalGiving’s Disaster Response Team is working with responding partners to meet the immediate needs of people affected by the Colorado wildfires and first responders. Once urgent needs are met, the GlobalGiving Colorado Wildfire Relief Fund will transition to support community-led, long-term recovery efforts in Colorado as needed.
Source: GlobalGiving Colorado Wildfire Relief Fund
Why? Survivors’ needs vary greatly throughout the life cycle of recovery. Some will require financial support, medical care, and psychological assistance years down the road. You can learn more about the importance of cash donations in this infographic.
Source: GlobalGiving + USAID Center for International Disaster Information
Help Colorado wildfire survivors through GlobalGiving and fuel community-led recovery.
Featured Photo: Homes surrounding the Flatiron Crossing mall were being evacuated as wildfires raced through the grasslands as high winds raked the intermountain West. Dec. 30, 2021 by AP/David ZalubowskiThis article was originally published on Dec. 31, 2021 and last updated at 4:30 p.m. on Jan. 3, 2022.
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