photo credit:SM Oren Bendayan/
Lahaina brush fires photo graphed
by the Civil Air Patrol Hawaii Wing
on Aug. 9, 2023

The California Fire Foundation announced Sunday it set up a disaster relief fund to support the people and firefighters impacted by the recent firestorm in Maui, Hawaii.

The California Fire Foundation is assisting Hawaii Fire Fighters Association, IAFF Local 1463, and the community to assess needs and directly distribute aid to those hardest hit.

The foundation exists to help communities and members of the fire service impacted by wildfires, mudslides, floods, earthquakes, or global pandemic.

"Here at the California Fire Foundation, our mission is to support survivors, firefighters and communities affected by natural disasters," said Rick Martinez, the foundation's executive director, who is on the ground assisting FEMA in Maui. "We have a deep appreciation for what the community is going through, and we recognize the cultural significance of the area impacted by the fire. Partnering with Hawaii Fire Fighters Association, IAFF Local 1463, ensures those residents and firefighters get and feel support from all of us in California."

The California Fire Foundation's wide variety of programs, from immediate assistance to long-term recovery, supports vital needs of those affected by natural disaster while being committed to the mission of providing emotional and financial assistance to families of fallen firefighters, firefighters, and the communities they protect across the state.

For more information on California Fire Foundation's Maui Wildfire Relief Fund and how to support the program, visit https://www.cafirefoundation.org/maui-wildfire-relief.