The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is mobilizing its resources and encouraging volunteers to provide aid to those who need assistance as devastating wildfires ravage Southern California.
“The Church is committed to helping during this emergency and throughout the aftermath,” said Elder Mark A. Bragg, the president of the church’s North America West Area, in a statement.
“Our hearts go out to all affected by the fires that continue to cause destruction in Southern California,” he added.
Elder Bragg was born in Santa Monica, attended UCLA and began his career as vice president of L.A.’s Great Western Bank in commercial and residential real estate operations. He married his wife, Yvonne, in the Los Angeles California Temple. His father, Don Bragg, played basketball for John Wooden and is in the UCLA Hall of Fame.
“As one who grew up and has deep roots in the area, I have a great love for the community,” he said in the statement. “Our prayers are with those who have lost their homes and are displaced and for the first responders. 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.”
In the latest reports from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and the Associated Press on Thursday, officials said:
- The five fires have burned nearly 30,000 acres.
- At least five people have died.
- More than 1,000 structures have either been damaged or destroyed.
- Tens of thousands of people have been displaced.
- More than 100,000 residents remain under evacuation orders.
The two largest blazes — the Palisades and Eaton fires — remain 0% contained. Firefighters have some level of containment on the Hurst and Lidia fires, ranging from 10% to 40%. Firefighters have gained control of the Sunset Fire in the Hollywood Hills, according to KTLA.
Meanwhile, dozens of Utah firefighters are headed to California to join the effort. They will join a force of 14,000 dispatched to fight the blazes.
About 60 Utah firefighters from various local agencies met outside the Maverik Center in West Valley City on Thursday morning before deploying to the Palisades, Eaton, Hurst, Lidia and Sunset.
“Our prayers — and our firefighters — are with those devastated by the inferno in (Los Angeles),” Gov. Spencer Cox wrote in a post Wednesday night on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“Extreme fire behavior” continues to “pose significant challenges” for firefighters, according to Cal Fire officials, per the Deseret News. Wind gusts of up to 60 mph are forecast to persist through at least Thursday.
The National Weather Service’s red flag warning for many parts of Southern California remains in effect through Friday evening as the famed Santa Ana winds — dry northeasterly winds — and relatively low humidity merge into “critical fire weather conditions.”
The Palisades Fire first began Tuesday amid strong wind gusts. Officials continue to investigate the causes of all five fires, which sparked during moderate, severe and extreme drought conditions around southern California and a large portion of the Southwest in recent months.