April 23, 2025
CA.gov/LAFires Helps Fire Victims During Chaos and Beyond
Why it Matters: In the face of fast-moving wildfires and widespread evacuations, Californians needed real-time support—not just information. CA.gov/LAfires met that need, becoming a lifeline for thousands of residents. By uniting critical services, safety updates, and recovery tools in one easy-to-use platform, California showed how responsive, people-first technology can deliver help where and when it matters most.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – When the wildfires erupted in Los Angeles County—driven by powerful Santa Ana winds with gusts reaching up to 100 mph—residents needed more than just updates; they needed real support, and they needed it fast. That’s when the California Department of Technology and the Office of Data and Innovation, in collaboration with Governor Newsom’s office, stepped up with CA.gov/LAfires, a digital resource built to meet people where they are—online, on their phones, and in the thick of it.
This site pulls together everything residents might need. Want to check fire activity or see which roads are closed? There’s a real-time interactive map showing active fire zones, evacuation areas, and containment levels. Need to know where the nearest shelter is or how to get out safely? The site has that too—along with reliable, up-to-date travel routes and guidance from official sources.
When it was time to start cleanup, CDT and ODI made sure the site included vital health and safety information, including air quality alerts, protective tips, and even mental health resources to support those processing the trauma of losing their homes or fleeing from the danger.
For many survivors, the damage went far beyond the loss of their homes—they lost everything inside as well. Important documents like driver’s licenses, birth certificates, marriage records, and passports were often destroyed. That’s where the site’s Recovery Services Finder proved its value, by serving as a digital guide to connect fire victims to disaster relief programs, to services to replace lost documents, insurance claim resources, and up-to-date information on private and free government-run debris removal. It also offers clear steps to help survivors start the process of assessing property damage and planning for recovery.
The team’s rapid response included developing a multi-page online experience with real-time information, online assistance, and location-based guidance to disaster recovery centers. Data-driven insights, including social media sentiment analysis and a user feedback survey, informed over 50 website enhancements within the first four weeks, ensuring the platform evolved in response to ongoing survivor needs. A recovery service finder was created to help people quickly discover available recovery resources, and a digital recovery dashboard provided Angelenos with transparent access to recovery progress metrics.
“I couldn't be prouder of what our team delivered with CA.gov/LAfires. In the middle of all the chaos and devastation, we focused on what really mattered—helping people. We saw this as much more than a website but as a lifeline. This was a powerful example of human-centered technology leveraged to help Californians when they needed it most and through every step of recovery, demonstrating our role as a dependable ally in their toughest moments.”
Blaine Wasylkiw, State Deputy Chief Technology Innovation Officer
The website continues to grow through weekly updates that keep pace with survivors’ needs. CDT and ODI improved navigation, made it easier to access multilingual information, included water system metrics, enhanced debris removal dashboards, and added more detailed mental health information. Users can sign up for local emergency alerts, get connected to verified volunteer and donation efforts, and link directly to trusted agencies like Cal Fire, FEMA, and local governments.