How to help communities affected by wildfires in Canada

Wildfire season is intensifying across Canada. 

Officials report that over 20,000 people had been forced to flee wildfires in British Columbia, with homes and other properties destroyed near Okanagan Lake.

For many of us, this has become a familiar and painful part of summer in Canada. We watch from our screens as fire moves through forests, neighbourhoods, and places we love. 

These scenes naturally spark an urgent instinct to help, but the real challenge is knowing how to direct that support effectively. If you’re ready to turn your compassion into meaningful action, this guide provides a roadmap for navigating wildfire relief with intention.

Consider both immediate response and long-term recovery

When you are deciding how to help, consider whether you want to support immediate relief, long-term recovery, preparedness for future emergencies, or a combination of these.  

While immediate relief is important as in the early days of a disaster, there are often urgent needs such as shelter, food, basic supplies, transportation, and emergency coordination; recovering from disasters can take years and requires sustained support that goes beyond the first few days. A giving plan can help you maintain momentum through the different stages of recovery by aligning your charitable efforts with your values, priorities, and financial means.

Catheryne Gagnon, Bilingual Press Officer at Médecins sans frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF), advises that one of the best ways to support humanitarian organizations is to contribute via regular donations, rather than funds tied to a specific emergency or context. This approach allows organizations to monitor needs and be more flexible and reactive by drawing from these general emergency funds when resources are needed to act.

Start with the communities most affected

During a wildfire, the people and communities closest to the emergency usually know what support is needed first. That includes local governments, First Nations, emergency response teams, community foundations, food banks, animal rescue groups, and other charities already serving people in the affected area. 

A practical first step is to identify which communities are under evacuation order or alert. The Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre is a good Canada-wide source for the wildfire situation. 

Look for trusted charities already doing the work

Before choosing where to give your support, take time to understand which organizations are responding and how they are connected to the affected communities.

A few questions can help:

• Is the organization a registered charity?
• Is the appeal current and specific to this emergency?
• Does the organization explain how support will be used?
• Is it working with local communities, First Nations, municipalities, or emergency partners?

Charitable Impact’s list of Canadian registered charities is updated weekly, so you can search with confidence knowing that any charity on our list is legitimate and in good standing with the Canada Revenue Agency.

If you are unsure, you can also visit the charity’s website, read its latest updates, or contact the organization directly. A trustworthy charity should be able to explain what it is doing, where it is working, and how support will help.

How to donate to support wildfire relief

Many charities have donation options directly on their websites. You can also choose to give through an online giving platform, such as Charitable Impact, which helps you find charities and organize your giving in one place.

With Charitable Impact, your Impact Account works like an online bank account for charitable giving. You can set it up in a few minutes, add money, search for Canadian registered charities, and give to one charity or several charities from one place. You can also take time to decide where to give, which can be helpful when wildfire conditions and community needs are changing quickly.

A suggestion when donating is to include the specific cause or area you are supporting, e.g., wildfire relief, in the “Message for the Charity” field on the platform.

If you want to invite others to support the same organizations, you can start a Giving Group, which is a fundraising page for charities working in wildfire response, disaster recovery, emergency preparedness, or community resilience.

To get you started, here are some charities supporting the wildfire relief efforts:

British Columbia Search and Rescue Association

Supports search and rescue volunteers across B.C. to provide critical emergency assistance when communities need it most.

Community Foundation Of The South Okanagan Similkameen

Supports local needs across the South Okanagan and Similkameen, including community response and relief funds that can help affected residents and strengthen recovery after events such as wildfires and floods.

First Nations’ Emergency Services Society of British Columbia

Strengthens emergency capacity in First Nations communities through comprehensive preparedness, response, and recovery support.

Team Rubicon Canada

A veteran-led organization mobilizing military veterans and first responders to provide urgent disaster relief across Canada.

The Canadian Red Cross Society

Responds to national emergencies and disasters, including wildfire support through targeted, current appeals.

United Way British Columbia

Funds immediate wildfire relief and long-term community recovery initiatives across British Columbia.

Other community charities you can support include: Anishinabek Nation 7th Generation Charity, British Columbia Society For The Prevention Of Cruelty To Animals, and Mamas For Mamas.

Other ways to help during wildfire season

Giving is one useful way to help. Preparing yourself and your household can also reduce pressure on emergency responders and community organizations during a crisis.

If you live in or near an affected area:

• Follow official evacuation alerts and orders.
• Register with Emergency Support Services if you have evacuated in B.C.
• Stay with family or friends if possible, to help preserve emergency accommodation for people who need it most.
• Do not return to evacuated areas until authorities say it is safe.
• Monitor official sources, including EmergencyInfoBC, BC Wildfire Service, BC Wildfire map, and local government updates.

If you are not directly affected, you can still help by sharing verified information, avoiding rumours, and directing people to official emergency updates and trusted charities.

Note: The list of charities includes organizations named through the Government of Canada’s Humanitarian Workforce Program, along with community-based charities identified through local knowledge from team members connected to affected areas. It is not a complete list, but it can be a useful place to start.