Community-Based Disaster Relief and Information Campaigns: The Case of the Los Angeles Fires, California, 2025

California is experiencing a variability and intensification of fires, where flames are burning in neighborhoods, blurring the boundaries in wildland-urban interfaces, impacting lives and displacing many. While fires are common to the Californian landscape, the Palisades Fire and Eaton Fire were unprecedented due to their intensity, urban characteristics and out-of-season occurrence. In the midst of a disaster, communities throughout California, especially in Los Angeles County, mobilized resources and organized themselves to help victims, first responders, second responders and volunteers. Their efforts were notable and inspiring to many. This thesis explores the community-based disaster relief efforts through interviews, netnography, and research. The documentation of these efforts by individuals in the community covers topics such as donation drives, food aid and distribution, and information campaigning for environmental awareness. Considering this may be an experience that will continue to intensify in California, and around the world, due to climate change and variability, this thesis documents these examples and others to understand the multifaceted approach to disaster relief from the ground up, as well as highlighting the gaps in governmental support.