Supporting Our Southern California Communities During Wildfires

Dear Colleagues,

The devastating wildfires currently tearing through Los Angeles County have brought significant challenges to our communities, both large and small. As first responders work tirelessly to protect lives and contain the flames, many of our fellow city managers are grappling with the overwhelming demands of emergency management, resource coordination, and community support.

This is a moment where we, as a network of experienced and resourceful city managers across California (north and south) can make a meaningful difference. Many of you have invaluable expertise in managing Emergency Operations Centers, recovery efforts, and rebuilding after disasters. To that end, we encourage you to work with your regional groups to compile a list of city managers and assistant city managers who are available to assist those in affected areas. Whether by offering guidance, sharing resources, or providing hands-on support, our collective strength and collaboration can be a vital lifeline for our colleagues.

Pooling resources regionally may be an effective way to maximize impact, and we encourage you to consider coordinated contributions where feasible. If you are willing to offer your expertise or assistance, please reach out to Meghan McKelvey at mmckelvey@calcities.org.

As always, the resilience and dedication of our profession shine brightest in times of crisis. Let us once again come together to lend a helping hand to those in need, as we have done so many times before.

Our thoughts are with the communities and individuals affected by these fires and others across the state. Please stay safe and reach out if there are additional ways we can support you.

In Public Service,

Hazel L. Wetherford

President, Cal-ICMA

Peter Pirnejad

President-Elect, Cal-ICMA

Elisa Cox, ICMA-CM

Past President, Cal-ICMA