United Way British Columbia has announced that its Wildfire Recovery Fund will quickly deliver funds to help those impacted by the wildfire at Wesley Ridge on Vancouver Island.

The large forest fire has impacted hundreds of people, forcing them to leave their homes. United Way’s Wildfire Recovery Fund will provide monetary donations of up to $15,000 each to nonprofits helping those in need.

The roughly 538-hectare Wesley Ridge fire on Vancouver Island is burning on the north shore of Cameron Lake, around 50 kilometres northwest of Nanaimo, B.C. Due to the fire’s impact, 300 homes are being evacuated, and about 350 other addresses are on evacuation alert, primarily in the western portions of the rural Meadowood subdivision near Little Qualicum Falls, in Nanaimo.

Tobias Jones from United Way BC shared that the funds to eligible nonprofits add extra support to the Emergency Operations Centre in Qualicum Beach and can cover things like gas and food cards, childcare, and mental health support for those in need. Nonprofits can apply online anytime, and applications are reviewed often to ensure that money is sent out quickly. Jones said they’ve used this kind of fund in other wildfire situations to cover both immediate and longer-term needs, and they ensure that the money goes where it’s needed most.

Source: Ian Holmes, Nanaimo News Now