• Robert Brennan

The Salvation Army Mobilizes Overnight With Support for Thomas Fire

THE SALVATION ARMY MOBILIZES OVERNIGHT WITH SUPPORT FOR “THOMAS” FIRE
Despite its own corps in Ventura under mandatory evacuation order, the salvation army answers the call to help fire survivors

Los Angeles, CA, December 5, 2017– The “Thomas Fire” a fast-moving, wind-fueled wildfire, swept into the city of Ventura early Tuesday, burning 31,000 acres, destroying homes and forcing 27,000 people to evacuate. At least 150 structures — including at least one large apartment complex — have been destroyed so far, and many more are threatened as the fire continues to grow. At one point early this morning, flames were only a quarter-mile away from the Ventura City Hall.
Despite The Salvation Army’s own Ventura Corps having to be evacuated, Ventura and Oxnard Salvation Army Corps responded to the growing crisis serving more than 400 evacuees at the Ventura County Fair Grounds which has been set up as a temporary evacuation center. With the weather forecast of high winds lurking in the future, government agencies believe the fire will continue to grow and wreak havoc and The Salvation Army will respond accordingly. The Santa Barbara Corps was activated this morning and will be directed to wherever it is needed. Now, a second evacuation site at Nordhoff High School in Ojai has been established, and a third site will be set up by mid-day today.

With another wildfire- the “Creek Fire” - growing in the northern part of the San Fernando Valley, The Salvation Army expects to be called upon for further assistance and stands at the ready to do its part. The Salvation Army asks its supporters to keep the more than 27,000 fire evacuees in their prayers and if they would like to offer monetary assistance, call 1 800 SAL ARMY or go to www.salvationarmy-socal.org

About The Salvation Army:  The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church established in 1865, has been supporting those in need in His name without discrimination for 127 years in Southern California. Nationally, more than 30 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through the broadest array of social services that range from providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged children. About 82 cents of every dollar raised is used to support those services in 7,000 communities nationwide. For more information, go to www.salvationarmy-socal.org.