Many of us are displaced from the fires. Many of us lost homes. Many of us are suffering from air pollution. These impacts will continue, and we continue to hold you and our community in our thoughts.
In today’s special Southern Sierran newsletter, we bring you stories from the fires, safety resources, and ways to help. We are also watching the first days of the Trump administration unfold, and the Sierra Club is working hard to fight back on unfolding threats to the environment and justice - learn more below.
Over the past week, our community has rallied. Our Wilderness Travel Course was searching for a new venue - they have succeeded in finding a great replacement venue and the course will go on. Our Santa Monica Mountains Trail Crew is welcoming new members to their email list and starting to plan the trail work recovery. Our outings schedule is active, with changes made as needed to accommodate for closures from the fires. Our conservation committees are developing defense campaigns to uphold protections to land, water and clean air. We are adapting to the new reality.
We’ve been inspired by the ideas that you’ve sent to the chapter, and grateful for the questions. Please keep them coming! Continue to reach out with needs we can uplift, with offers to help, and with ideas for the recovery. Our community is strong, and stronger because of your participation.
Fire Response
Fire Safety Resources:
Is the air safe to breathe? Can I trust the Air Quality numbers? What’s in the smoke? Our friends at the Coalition for Clean Air have a webinar and resources that we highly recommend. (Click through to transcript of the QnA to get right to it.)
Sierra Magazine: 5 Ways to protect your home from wildfires
Sierra Magazine: What I Learned From Wildfire Risk Tools
Four Sierra Club leaders have GoFundMe pages accepting donations:
Rob Seltzer, Leader with our Inspiring Connections Outdoors program LINK
Tohru Ohnuki - Instructor with our Wilderness Travel Course and Advanced Mountaineering Program LINK
Machiko Yasuda - former Forest Committee chair LINK
Pamela Zoolalian - instructor with our Wilderness Travel Course LINK
Join our Trail Crew:
Signup to be notified when trail work and fire cleanup will resume in the Santa Monica Mountains
Trump Administration Response
I’m sharing this excerpt from Ben Jealous, the Sierra Club’s Executive Director:
9 Questions and Answers, with concrete actions you can take to fight Trump’s actions that threaten the environment.
Morgan Goodwin is the Senior Director at the Sierra Club Angeles Chapter.