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Multiple southern California wildfires force evacuations

Chefs For California
Multiple Locations | September 2024
WCK’s Relief Team was in southern California to provide meals and cold drinks to people evacuating their homes in San Bernardino County as wildfires burned with minimal containment and families were forced to leave their homes.

While supporting people impacted by the Line Fire in the mountainous towns of Lake Arrowhead and Big Bear, two other fires in southern California—the Airport and Bridge fires—broke out and demanded immediate attention.

Our teams fanned out and secured local food trucks and restaurant partners to provide meals for evacuees staying at emergency shelters in addition to emergency personnel fighting the blazes. WCK-supported meals were available in areas including Phelan, Lake Elsinore, Lucerne Valley, Wrightwood, and Victorville. When evacuation orders were lifted, WCK strategically positioned teams to provide “welcome home” meals to families returning to their neighborhoods, many of which were still without power. 

WCK was also in San Bernardino County in March 2023 when a series of winter storms buried communities under several feet of snow. Inaccessible roads and damage to essential infrastructure forced families to remain in their homes and cut off the region’s food supply. We worked closely with many of the same local authorities and previous partners in the county while providing meals for wildfire evacuees.

14,800+

Meals Served

3

Wildfires

Line, Bridge, and Airport Fires

Manna International Food Truck

We partnered with local food trucks and restaurants to serve comforting quesadillas, refreshing salads topped with fresh fish, and homey rice and pork bowls. Manna International Food Truck’s menu also included beef and chicken gyros, with options for vegans and vegetarians too. Manna also has a food truck based in central Florida and teamed up with WCK during Hurricanes Ian and Idalia.

Big Bear Lake

Rancho Santa Margarita

News from the ground

  • Chef Carlos brought his food truck, El Mas Chingon, to Rancho Santa Margarita to support communities impacted by the Airport Fire. With the help of WCK, he cooked up delicious fish salad and steak & chicken quesadillas at a shelter for local seniors.

    Twitter | 9/14/2024
  • This family had just five minutes to evacuate their home as the Bridge Fire crossed the mountains into their San Bernardino neighborhood. They stopped by WCK food truck partner Los Compadres Catering OC to pick up some delicious Mexican food along their evacuation route.

    Twitter | 9/13/2024
  • WCK is in Southern California working alongside food truck partner Manna, who specializes in international street food. Together, we are providing hundreds of meals to firefighters and families impacted by the Line, Bridge, and Airport fires.

    Twitter | 9/12/2024