In a year seemingly marked by intense natural disasters, a series of wildfires across California caused massive property damage and compelled people from all over the country to contribute to reconstruction. Fires began gathering strength in Aug. 2018, and a national disaster was declared Aug. 4.

In November, strong winds and dry brush caused the existing fires to branch off and grow, affecting Malibu and much of Southern California. Several relief organizations such as the Malibu Foundation have begun taking donations and mobilizing to help reconstruct the 500 structures destroyed in Malibu alone.

Many of the areas affected housed major celebrities, who have received media attention both for their losses and their donations to the cause.

Controversy began to arise in early November as two celebrity families chose different methods of offering help. The home of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West was under intense scrutiny for choosing to hire a private firefighting company to fire-proof their home and neighborhood. Meanwhile, the home of Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth was destroyed in a large fire and the couple chose to donate $500,000 to the Malibu Foundation through Cyrus’s Happy Hippie Foundation.

An article in Cosmopolitan reported that the Kardashian-West household ended up helping their neighborhood better prepare for the fires and save most of the homes from destruction. However, some readers on social media found this relief effort selfish.

On the other hand, many fans of Cyrus and Hemsworth have rallied around the couple, noting that they managed to give back to the community despite losing a lot of property and personal items.

This discussion is about more than just celebrity gossip and notoriety. It raises an important question: are people in a position of wealth and status obligated to help their larger communities in times of crisis? Are the needs of the few as important as the needs of the many?

In times of crisis, it can be crucial to understand where people’s needs exist and what can be done by foundations and individuals to help the cause. For celebrities and well-known figures, the scrutiny to perform is high in tense situations.

Expert Corner:
Sharon Sherick, Program Coordinator of the Center for Community and Civic Engagement

As the Program Coordinator of the Center for Community and Civic Engagement (CCCE), Sharon Sherick knows a great deal about organizing volunteers and resources during times of crisis. She also understand how tense these situations can become and that sometimes people end up protecting themselves more than they protect others.

“In a situation like this [the wildfires], where a lot of people are seeing some form of devastation, it’s difficult to determine the fine line between what a person does for themselves and what they do for their community,” Sherick said.

Sherick also said that for large natural disasters like wildfires, organizing relief usually falls on society instead of the individuals. Namely, the national government should be the biggest source of disaster relief.

“The government exists to help those who can’t help themselves in these situations,” Sherick said.

In helping students reach out to the community, Sherick deals with two things that make a difference in times of need: money and helping hands. For Californians, which is needed the most right now?

“Monetary donations are always helpful and have a large impact [because] they can be used where the immediate need is. Finding agencies that are already set up to assist and have the resources to do so is important instead of rushing to provide relief support,” Sherick said.

Overall, Sherick found that it was helpful, but not an obligation for everyone who has the money to give.

“No one is ‘obligated’ to do anything,” Sherick said.

That said, Sherick encourages all who are able to give to reconstruction efforts following the California wildfires. While there’s no need to give hundreds of thousands of dollars like Cyrus and Hemsworth did, there are steps anyone can take to help with reconstruction. Sherick’s first suggestion was to check up on fundraising efforts.

Make sure the agency is a reputable one before giving and that only a small percentage goes toward administrative needs,” Sherick said.