California Wildfire
As of August 6, 2018, the Mendocino Complex wildfire is on pace to become the largest in California’s history. Wildfires have burned across the state for months. This U.S. Forest Service image is from the Thomas Fire that raged through Ventura and Santa Barbara counties in December 2017. (Wikimedia Commons Photo/Stuart Palley)
With some 127 wildfires burning in the West and flash floods continuing to threaten the East in the United States, United Methodists are urged to continue supporting the church's efforts at disaster relief and recovery.
The National Interagency Fire Center based in Boise, Idaho, is mobilizing active duty military personnel to serve as firefighters to assist with wildfire suppression efforts, the agency said in an Aug. 6 press release. Currently, more than 127 wildfires are burning on about 1.6 million acres in California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Utah, Nevada, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Arizona and Alaska. "The National Preparedness Level is currently at 5, the highest level, indicating a high level of wildfire activity and a high level of commitment of wildfire suppression assets (i.e. firefighters, aircraft, engines, etc.)," the release said. "Weather and fuel conditions are predicted to continue being conducive to wildfire ignitions and spread in most of the western U.S. for the next several weeks."
Sonja Edd-Bennett, director of disaster response for the California-Nevada Conference, reported July 28 that Redding UMC Pastor Joe Major and his wife Julia were evacuated along with about 60 members of their church. "Most, if not all, of the community served by the Shasta Lake United Methodist Church has been evacuated," Ms. Edd-Bennett said.
"This is now a State Declared Emergency which will help significantly with aid," Ms. Edd-Bennett said in her online report. "Our office is helping the state gather information on who is doing what to assist all involved."
The California-Pacific Annual Conference reported Aug. 8 that a conference facility, Camp Lazy W Ranch, "is in a mandatory evacuation situation due to the Holy fire which is currently about 3 miles from the camp above the canyon. The camp property is not currently in danger. There were no campers or guests on site at the time and all staff have temporarily relocated to areas safe from the fire. But, the road to and from the camp (Ortega Highway) is now closed in both directions to non-emergency traffic. Cat Holbert, Director of Camp Lazy W Ranch, is monitoring the situation and sharing updated information with conference staff."
While the West burned, the eastern United States braced for the possibility of more flooding.
Weather.com forecast a cold front would bring storms to the Midwest, where some areas are approaching drought conditions. The national outlook also predicted that across the sodden Southeast "rain and thunderstorm chances will begin to increase ... as a cold front approaches the region. ... This setup means the risk of rain and storms will persist into late-week."
The Eastern Pennsylvania Annual Conference continues to provide relief and recovery to areas hit by late-July floods. Susquehanna Conference in Central Pennsylvania also experienced flooding, but no disaster response news was listed on its website.
NBC News reported on extensive flooding in Virginia and North Carolina from late-July storms. Aerial and ground video captured the flooding, including the historic town of Lynchburg, Va., where residents feared a dam would burst Aug. 3. Virginia Conference's website had no current reports on its disaster response. North Carolina Conference disaster response ministry reported it had recently received a Red Cross grant to help rebuild homes around Lumberton, N.C. that were damaged by Hurricane Matthew in 2016. Now the state again faces the possibility of more flooding over the weekend of Aug. 10-12 as new storms roll through.
The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) explains that there are three phases of a disaster: response/rescue, relief and recovery. Typically, The United Methodist Church participates in the rescue phase by supporting first responders such as firefighters, police and emergency medical workers. As an example, after the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, United Methodist churches offered water, meals and cots for first responders to rest and recover.
More often the denomination concentrates its disaster response on relief and recovery, frequently sustaining recovery efforts for years after a disaster occurs. Trained Early Response Teams help with immediate needs such as removing downed trees and cleaning up debris. Recovery case workers assist in obtaining money and materials and volunteer teams help disaster victims rebuild their lives.
The California-Nevada disaster response coordinator, Ms. Edd-Bennett, listed the ways that UMCOR recommends churches and individuals aid disaster responders and victims.
Prayer - Pray for all those whose lives have been impacted by these fires, including firefighters, relief workers, and those who are survivors of previous fires
Cash Donations - "Cash is the most flexible and manageable way to donate to response and recovery," said Ms. Edd-Bennett. Individuals can give through their local churches to UMCOR's United States Disaster Response Advance #901670 for events that occur in the United States and to International Disaster Response Advance #982450 for disasters around the world.
Material donations require space, organization and management. Unsolicited donations of items such as clothing, furniture, and toys require space, organization and management and are considered the "disaster within the disaster," taking human and financial resources away from survivor recovery.
Volunteering. "If you feel a call to give of your time and talent, please do so through an organized group," Ms. Edd-Bennett wrote. "Unrequested and/or unsupervised volunteers can be more of a challenge than a help! " Opportunities include your local Volunteers in Mission (VIM) team or other groups from the church; or consider joining in with a community partner such as the American Red Cross.
Relief Supply Kit – While it may not go to a specific current disaster, UMCOR’s relief-supply kits program benefits all. Check out the link to see how to help.
Training – There is no time like the present to prepare for the future! Check local annual conference websites or publications for dates of training sessions.