5 Ways To Help Teachers Impacted by the L.A. Wildfires [Video]

As the fires roared through Los Angeles, Cathy T., a 6th grade teacher who is retiring in May and grew up in Altadena and Pasadena, offered to donate her classroom supplies for next year. Cathy connected with other teachers in the We Are Teachers Helpline. So far, no one has responded, but Cathy wrote, “I figure they’re still reeling from everything and are waiting to hear where they are going to be relocated to.” 

SInce the L.A. fires started on January 7, 2025, more than 600,000 students have been displaced because of the fires, and schools are on varying timelines to reopen and serve students again. Regardless of when schools reopen, teachers and students will return to classrooms that are very different. 

As teachers start to understand their needs moving forward, here are five ways to support them, with input from the We Are Teachers community: 

When she was in kindergarten, teacher Hannah K. was a recipient of letters from other kids …