Dear NRDC Supporter,

Our thoughts and hearts are with the people whose lives have been upended by the catastrophic wildfires that have burned tens of thousands of acres in the Los Angeles area and across Southern California.

NRDC not only has a significant number of trustees and staff — including me — who live in the LA area, but we have thousands of members and supporters, many of whom have been directly affected. The devastation is gut-wrenching, and the region will be forever changed by the events of the last week.

The LA fires have killed at least two dozen people, displaced thousands, and destroyed more than 12,000 structures. 100,000 people are still under evacuation orders.

And with hundreds of billions in losses so far, the blaze is already the most expensive wildfire in U.S. history and will have economic repercussions for decades.

These are the real-life, painful, and rising costs of the climate crisis on full display. Here's what you need to know:

• 2024 was the hottest year on record globally
• The wildfires were intensified by rising temperatures, powerful winds, and drought conditions exacerbated by climate change, all of which also make it harder for firefighters to put them out
• Inhaling wildfire smoke can have devastating impacts on human health, including cardiovascular disease, respiratory problems, and cancer, which can lead to death
• Wildfire smoke can travel hundreds to thousands of miles from the actual flames — and have dangerous consequences for air quality along the way
• Wildfires can pollute waterways and drinking water, releasing toxic chemicals into our water systems
• The LA region has long been plagued by a severe shortage of affordable housing — the crisis will only make it worse, especially for low-income residents

This is not the time for misinformation and scoring cheap political points at the expense of people whose lives are upended. And no one should be threatening to withhold urgently needed assistance as political payback.

This is a moment for leaders at every level, and for all of us across the country, to stand with our neighbors in a great American city in their hour of need and let them know they're not alone. A time to look in the mirror and make up our minds to rally around the people of Los Angeles.

These fires — and how our leaders respond to them — underscore the importance of fighting the climate crisis and protecting people in the face of increasingly frequent and intense extreme weather events.

With President-elect Trump taking office on Monday, and our climate and clean energy progress on the chopping block, it's a fight that's going to take all of us working together — and the stakes are simply too high to lose.

Read more about how to stay safe from wildfire smoke and how to make a wildfire evacuation plan on NRDC.org.

Sincerely,

Joel Reynolds
Western Director, NRDC