Tick Fire

 In late October, the Tick Fire devastated parts of Canyon Country and surrounding areas, leaving 22 structures destroyed in its wake. Caused by severe Santa Ana winds, the fire took about a week to reach full containment, and in the aftermath of the fire’s catastrophic effects, many members of the Santa Clarita community were left to put the pieces of their lives back together.
The Tick Fire forced approximately 40,000 people from their homes in what is now considered to be the largest mass evacuation in Santa Clarita history. College of the Canyons served as an evacuation center hosted by the American Red Cross, allowing evacuees to seek refuge for themselves and their beloved animals as firefighters and first responders struggled to contain the flames.
In such distressing times, it is crucial for the community to band together to provide the strong support system necessary for victims to begin the long road to recovery. For the families who lost their homes, however, the journey of rebuilding their lives from the ground up seemed incredibly daunting.
To help spur the forward progress of the recovery process, several Santa Clarita organizations, businesses, and residents connected with one another to uplift the spirits of those affected by the Tick Fire, and for many, this was the first step in the path forward.
Here at home, the Domestic Violence Shelter of the Santa Clarita Valley and the Boys and Girls Club opened their doors to donations of any kind that would help victims of the Tick Fire. College of the Canyons, in addition to serving as the designated evacuation center in the midst of the chaos, provided a special dinner, courtesy of its Institute for Culinary Education, for first responders and evacuees after the initial threat had finally passed.
Several families also turned to GoFundMe, a popular crowdfunding platform, to raise funds for themselves or for others who had suffered the devastating effects of the Tick Fire. In just a few weeks, several of these fundraisers were able to generate thousands of dollars, and though there is still a long way to go in recovering from this fateful event, it was heartwarming to many to see the community’s combined efforts to provide comfort and support for those in need.
As of mid-November, several GoFundMe fundraisers are active and seeking funds to support the recuperation of countless victims. For more information, visit http://gofundme.com and search for “Tick Fire” to help contribute.