ORLANDO, Fla. – As California continues to battle devastating wildfires that have destroyed thousands of homes and forced over 130,000 residents to evacuate, help is pouring in from across the country.
Among those answering the call is Marjorie Pedro, a seasoned volunteer with the American Red Cross.
Pedro, originally from the Virgin Islands, was visiting Central Florida when she received an urgent request to deploy. Early Thursday morning, she departed from Orlando to join relief efforts in California, where multiple fires have claimed five lives, destroyed nearly 2,000 structures, and remain largely uncontained.
[RELATED: Out-of-control Los Angeles wildfires burn thousands of homes and other structures]
“This is what I’ve been training for,” Pedro shared before her departure. “Sometimes I put myself in their place and understand how emotional they are.”
Pedro’s two-week deployment will see her working at Red Cross shelters, providing support to families who have lost everything.
“We try to talk to them, try to listen to them, and see if we can come up with a solution to help them get back on their feet,” she explained.
The emotional toll of the work is significant, but Pedro’s dedication remains unwavering.
“It gets emotional because it’s not a good feeling losing your home — everything you’ve worked so hard for,” she said.
Pedro is just one of many volunteers mobilized to aid communities impacted by the wildfires. The American Red Cross is calling on others to join their efforts, emphasizing the urgent need for support.
Many of the towering fires began Tuesday and were fueled by powerful Santa Ana winds, which gusted to more than 70 mph in some spots. The winds persisted Wednesday and for a while made it too dangerous for aircraft to attack the fires from the sky, furthering hampering their efforts. Aerial firefighting resumed Wednesday morning.
Gov. Gavin Newsom said the state has deployed more than 1,400 firefighting personnel to battle the blazes. In a rare, urgent plea, the Los Angeles Fire Department asked all off-duty firefighters in the city to help. Oregon was sending 300 firefighters and Washington state 146 personnel. Utah, New Mexico and Arizona were also dispatching teams.
For more information on how to volunteer or donate to wildfire relief efforts, visit RedCross.org.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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