Hundreds more residents displaced by Creek Fire could need emergency shelter soon
Disaster relief workers are preparing for a new wave of people needing emergency shelter as a result of the Creek Fire and the Sequoia Complex Fire, as thousands of displaced people may be running out of resources.
The fast-burning Creek Fire threatened more than 14,000 structures as of Sunday night, and some towns have been evacuated for several days.
While some people are staying with friends or family members, more than 1,300 people stayed in dozens of hotels Sunday night through assistance from the American Red Cross.
“That number is bound to go up,” said Nicole Maul with the American Red Cross. “We’ve been at this for a week, and that can take a financial toll.”
Resources are available for people who have been displaced — including food, water, gift cards, and pet shelter — at an evacuation center at the Granite Ridge Intermediate School gym in north Clovis.
The site hosts several organizations offering services, including the Department of Social Services, church groups, and a Tribal organization, the Owens Valley Career Development Center, assisting Native residents displaced from Big Sandy and Cold Springs rancherias.
It doesn’t look like a traditional evacuation center.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the gym is not lined with cots to provide group shelter. Instead, the Red Cross is focused on placing people in hotel rooms.
As a communications director for the American Red Cross for the last two years, Maul has aided in several disasters across the country.
The Creek Fire is different, she said. Fresno is her hometown. She doesn’t yet know whether her friends’ family homes are still standing.
“For me, this is personal,” she said. “When people are safe, that’s a good thing. We’ll think about the rest later.”
Volunteers are able to assist remotely. Anyone interested can visit redcross.org/volunteertoday
This story was originally published September 14, 2020 at 1:38 PM with the headline "Hundreds more residents displaced by Creek Fire could need emergency shelter soon."
