Abiding Church Pastor Trenton Mueller, while in New Mexico for his grandmother’s birthday, received this photo from a neighbor of the approaching Palisades fire. His home was not harmed by the flames. Photo provided by Trenton Mueller
This article by Scott Barkley, chief national correspondent for Baptist Press, was originally posted at baptistpress.com.
PASADENA, Calif. (BP) — California Baptist Disaster Relief is prepared to help in the recovery effort as three wildfires burn across L.A. County, a state spokesperson shared with Baptist Press today.
“He told them we’re ready,” Sarah Graham, team leader for the Office of Communications at the California Southern Baptist Convention, said as Disaster Relief director Kendrick Neal met with emergency response leaders.
CSBDR is being asked to provide those who can assist in spiritual and emotional care and “other services as needed,” Graham added.
Neal has also been in touch with Arizona Baptist Disaster Relief Director Don Vickers, who said his units are ready to mobilize.
As of 12:30 p.m., local time, the LACFD reported the Palisades fire as approaching 12,000 acres burned. The Eaton fire, north of downtown L.A., has claimed 10,600 acres while the Hurst fire, northwest of San Fernando, is at 500 acres.
Winds of up to 100 mph are fueling the fires that have claimed two lives alongside more than 1,000 homes, businesses and other landmarks destroyed, the L.A. Times reported.
All three fires have 0 percent containment, said the LA County Fire Department, which has established an incident response page for updates.
Trenton Mueller, pastor of Abiding Church in Pasadena, was attending the 90th birthday celebration of his grandmother in Albuquerque when he began receiving messages about the fire’s growth. This morning, a neighbor sent a picture showing massive smoke clouds just north of the city.
A couple from his church evacuated in the middle of the night with their two little girls. Today they learned their home is gone.
Abiding Church, which is a year old, meets in a rented building south of Pasadena. Neither the building nor any of the church’s equipment is currently in danger of the fire, Mueller told BP.
“We have about 50-60 people, and at least a third of them have evacuated,” he said. “We need prayer.
“We’ll still meet this Sunday, but instead of a traditional service we’re going to be with those in need, delivering care packages and praying with them. We’re going to find those, especially, who will need help finding housing quickly.”