Thousands of Southern Californians have been ordered to leave their homes and workplaces as the Bridge, Line and Airport fires rage and firefighters are still struggling to contain them.
To assist victims, several evacuation centers have been set up offering shelter and food. Some agencies and non-profit organizations are also providing various forms of assistance.
Here you will find a guide to evacuation locations for people and their animals and available financial and health resources, along with some ways people can donate to fire victims.
Resources for airport fire victims
Evacuation shelters
- Rancho Santa Margarita Bell Tower Regional Community Center, 22232 El Paseo at Rancho Santa Margarita. The shelter, which has established a long-term care and reception center, will remain open overnight.
- Temescal Valley High School, 28755 El Toro Road in Lake Elsinore.
- Santiago High School, 1395 E. Foothill Parkway in Corona.
- For small animals: Orange County Animal Shelter, 1630 Victory Road in Tustin. Owners bringing their pets to this location must present photo identification and veterinary or vaccination records, as well as provide any special food or medication.
- For large animals: Orange County Fair & Event Center, 88 Fair Drive in Costa Mesa. Access to the fairgrounds is through Gate 9 on Arlington Drive. For more information, call (714) 820-2830.
- For large animals: Los Alamitos Racetrack, 4961 Katella Ave. in Cypress. Enter through the barn door. For more information, call (714) 820-2830.
- For large animals: Nohl Ranch Saddle Club, 6352 E. Nohl Ranch, Anaheim. Limited stalls available, plus paddocks and round pens. For more information on availability, call (714) 308-1093.
- For large animals: Murrieta Equestrian Center Downtown, 42670 Juniper St. in Murrieta.
Medical and mental health guidance
- Evacuees who need prescription medications and are unable to obtain them through their health care provider or pharmacy should call the Orange County Public Information Hotline at (714) 628-7085. Hotline staff will ask callers for their name and phone number. County officials will screen and process requests and answer calls at the phone number provided.
- Orange County residents in need of mental health support can contact the county's Health Care Agency's 24/7 Behavioral Health Information and Referral Line at (855) 625-4657.
Support Information
- CalFresh recipients may be eligible to receive replacement benefits for food lost during the recent wildfires, and the deadline to report food loss has been extended to Sept. 23. CalFresh recipients who lost food during any of the summer wildfires (Airport, Eagle, Hawarden, Macy, Nixon, Post, Record or Tenaja) can report their losses by calling (877) 410-8827, visiting a Department of Public Social Services office or submitting a report at BenefitsCal.com by Sept. 23.
Line and Bridge Fire Area Resources
Information on evacuation shelters
- For people and small and large animals: San Bernardino County Fairgrounds, 14800 7th St. in Victorville.
- For small and large animals: Devore Animal Shelter, 19777 Shelter Way in San Bernardino. Devore is able to provide temporary shelter and care for residents who reside in the service area of the Big Bear Animal Shelter, which is closed due to the Line Fire. Animals that were at the Big Bear Shelter have been temporarily relocated to the Devore and Apple Valley Animal Shelters. Devore is open seven days a week; hours of operation vary. The shelter can be reached at (909) 386-9820 and after hours at (800) 472-5609. Pets temporarily housed at these facilities must have identification (collar and tags) and any necessary medications. When dropping off your pet, please make sure they are in an appropriately sized carrier.
- For people and small animals: Jessie Turner Community Center, 15556 Summit Ave. in Fontana.
Mental health counseling
- San Bernardino County Behavioral Health Department's community-based mobile crisis response teams, which provide 24/7 services in English and Spanish for people of any age experiencing a psychiatric emergency, can be reached by calling (800) 398-0018 or texting (909) 420-0560.
Other resources
U-Haul offers 30 days Free storage and use of U-Box containers for residents affected by wildfires in San Bernardino and Riverside counties
The 30-day offer applies to new storage and U-Box rentals and is subject to availability. Individuals seeking more information or needing to arrange storage should contact the U-Haul office with a participating location nearest to them:
- For U-Haul San Bernardino, participating locations are in Apple Valley, Barstow, Fontana, Ontario, Pomona, Redlands, Rialto, San Bernardino and Victorville. Contact the office at (909) 885-4378.
- For U-Haul Riverside, participating locations are in Cathedral City, Corona, Hemet, Indio, Moreno Valley and Riverside. Contact the office at (951) 485-2005.
He United Way's Southern California Inland Wildfire Relief Fund is providing up to $500 to affected households in Riverside and San Bernardino counties that meet eligibility requirements. The funds are intended to cover expenses associated with the wildfire, such as replacing lost items or paying for hotel stays.
Eligible households must be Riverside or San Bernardo County residents whose households earn less than 80% of the area median income and who can demonstrate an incurred cost or loss of income due to a wildfire or evacuation in the past 6 months.
Applications can be submitted online with a government-issued ID showing an address that was affected by a wildfire, along with documentation showing a cost or loss related to the wildfire, such as a hotel bill, police report, or insurance claim.
The organization can also help fire victims with immediate assistance or resources. Dial 211 and a community resource counselor will assist you.
Donation opportunities
- The California Fire Foundation is raising money to help victims and evacuees of the Bridge, Line and Airport fires. The foundation supports fire survivors, firefighters and communities affected by natural disasters. Donations can be made online.
- Inland SoCal United Way is accepting donations for victims of the Line, Bridge and Airport fires. Donors can choose to make a one-time general donation or choose online which fire-affected area to support.
- Tax-deductible donations to schools and disaster victims can be made online to the SupplyBank.org Disaster Relief Fund, or by sending a check made out to SupplyBank.org to 7730 Pardee Lane, Oakland, CA 94621.
- GoFundMe.org is collecting donations to provide direct aid to people in need through its Wildfire Relief Fund. Recipients, who are verified by GoFundMe, are individuals raising funds for themselves or on behalf of someone else. The company may also provide grants to fundraisers that benefit small businesses and community relief efforts, or to approved nonprofits coordinating long-term recovery.
- The Red Cross is accepting donations to help people recover from recent natural disasters. You can make a donation by calling (800) 733-2767 or visiting the Red Cross website.
