Fire-ravaged Napa overwhelmed by in-kind donations; ‘pace yourselves,’ supervisor says

Napa County Supervisor Belia Ramos thanked well-wishers and those sending clothes, food and money to residents effected by the wine country fires that have killed at least 40 and burned more than 100 square miles across the region.

With firefighters announcing Sunday that they had begun to gain the upper hand on the deadly blazes, Ramos said the county is “now switching to recovery mode.”

The county has maxed out on in-kind donations like clothing and will no longer accept them, Ramos said.

What victims of the Atlas fire and their loved ones need is money for incidentals, gift cards to help to help them rebuild their lives when they’re finally allowed to return home, she said.

“Pace yourselves,” Ramos said. “Coordinate your generosity… we need you for the long haul.”

Food donations have to clear health standards and must be channeled through the Salvation Army, which can be reached at (707) 226-8150. Instead of clothes, officials ask that monetary donations be made to the Napa Valley Community Foundation at www.napavalleycf.org. Gift cards in $25 increments are also needed, Ramos said.

“It’s a long road to recovery, and I look forward to the day this can be a distant memory in which we recall that we were resilient and that we got through this together,” she said.

The county has scheduled community meetings for Sunday afternoon that will be streamed live on Facebook.