Mayor Karen Bass on January 28th, 2025 to hear the testimonies of residents directly impacted by the Wildfires.

More than a month has passed since Los Angeles endured six wildfires in just two weeks. These fires have devastated our communities, forcing residents to rally together—not just to halt the destruction but also to manage the grief of our collective loss. We have lost physical spaces, breathable air, and an overall sense of well-being.

No Angeleno should have a relationship with the climate that is purely reactive to catastrophe. We deserve to live, play, and come together in harmony with our environment—peacefully and sustainably. Yet, that is the heartbreaking reality. Instead of thriving in a climate that nurtures us, we are forced to respond to crisis after crisis, mourning the loss of land, air, homes, and livelihoods.

SCOPE immediately became a donation center after the fires broke out in January. For two weeks, we collected and distributed thousands of essential items, including clothing, food, baby supplies, feminine hygiene products, pet food, and grocery gift cards. Our Mutual Aid LA Network reached 100,000 people across the region.

We also saw a surge in families attending our monthly food distribution and have since added mask distribution to help South LA residents cope with deteriorating air quality. Given the growing need, we have committed to hosting an additional distribution event to further support the community.

One of our members shared:

“While those directly impacted are bearing the brunt of the fires, all of Los Angeles and its landscape will be altered forever—with many displaced and others left without jobs.”

We acknowledge that the start of this year has been anything but easy. Yet, in the midst of this crisis, we have seen our communities show up for each other in powerful and meaningful ways. It is a reminder that perseverance and resilience are at the core of our communities.

However, we are acutely aware that this is neither the first climate disaster our country has faced nor an isolated event. The increasing frequency and severity of wildfires underscore a systemic issue: the unchecked actions of billionaires and corporations that prioritize profit over people and the planet. Decades of environmental exploitation, corporate greed, and policy inaction have sown fears of a future devoid of safety and stability. The decisions made by a privileged few have left working-class communities, particularly in South Los Angeles, to endure the consequences of pollution, climate displacement, and economic insecurity.

As our communities grapple with the aftermath of this disaster, misleading narratives are being used to shift blame away from the true culprits—corporate polluters and decades of environmental degradation. Right-wing media distorts the truth, distracting from the role of fossil fuel profiteers and industries that have drained LA’s resources for their own gain.

At SCOPE, we stand with our partners and allies in demanding a just recovery that prioritizes the needs of frontline communities. From rent protections and economic relief to climate resilience and anti-displacement policies, we are fighting for real accountability and systemic change.

SCOPE’s Communitarians take a group picture after loading donations to deliver to Pasadena and Altadena Wildfire Relief.

Combating Misinformation & Shifting Accountability

In the wake of this climate disaster, our communities are being inundated with misleading news coverage that distorts the root causes of this crisis and hinders recovery efforts. As an organization committed to organizing and policy education, we want to set the record straight:

This crisis was not caused solely by budget cuts or individual political decisions—it is the result of decades of environmental degradation, corporate greed, and climate inaction. Right-wing media has falsely claimed that Mayor Bass cut firefighter budgets, failed to maintain aqueducts, and neglected her duties by traveling to Ghana. These distractions shift accountability away from corporate billionaires and fossil fuel profiteers, who have polluted, extracted, and exploited LA’s environment for decades. What we do know is that corporate loopholes, such as Prop 13 and Prop 26, have deprived communities of essential resources.

LA did not simply “run out of water”—our water systems have been mismanaged by the very industries profiting from climate destruction. While city leaders must invest in equitable climate resiliency, the real culprits are agribusiness giants, oil companies, and real estate developers who have drained our natural resources and driven water scarcity.

This was not an “inevitable natural disaster.” Climate change has been manufactured by fossil fuel corporations, unchecked emissions, and policies that prioritize profit over people. If we do not change course, these disasters will only worsen, disproportionately harming frontline communities.

We refuse to let billionaires and corporate polluters evade accountability while our communities suffer. It is their actions—not city policies alone—that have made LA more vulnerable to climate disaster. We demand systemic change, not scapegoating.

SCOPE’s Communitarians offloading donations to Pasadena/Altadena Wildfire Relief.

SCOPE’s Demands for a Just Recovery

SCOPE, in collaboration with allies and partners, has developed policy principles to ensure an equitable recovery that leaves no one behind. We must meet our collective moral responsibility to provide every Angeleno with the resources they need to rebuild, remain in their communities, and create economic opportunities for all while protecting our environment.

Ensuring Everyone Gets Help

• In-person, in-language, comprehensive support for navigating FEMA, insurance, SBA, unemployment, and all relevant claims.
• Accessibility for all impacted residents, regardless of immigration status.

Protecting the Sanctity of Home and Community

• For Renters: A countywide rent freeze and eviction moratorium to combat rent gouging.
• For Homeowners: Just rebuilding policies centered on community self-determination, including financial supports, anti-speculation, and anti-displacement measures.
• For Small Businesses and Community Centers: Protection from displacement, block grants, and low/no-interest loans for businesses, nonprofits, congregations, and places of worship in fire-affected zones.

Economic Relief

• Guaranteed cash assistance for all whose livelihoods or wages have been impacted by the wildfires, regardless of status.
• Rebuilding efforts must include labor protections and job opportunities for those directly and indirectly affected by the fires, including formerly incarcerated firefighters.

Ensuring Environmental Resilience

• Rebuilding efforts must promote socio-ecological resilience, meaningfully engage Indigenous communities, and incorporate Traditional Ecological Knowledge for long-term sustainability.
• Continued transition away from fossil fuels by prioritizing investments in clean energy infrastructure and environmental justice initiatives.

Policy Demands: Immediate and Long-Term Actions

In addition to these urgent measures, we call on the City of Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, and the State of California to implement the following:

• Prevent speculators from exploiting displaced businesses and homeowners by enforcing anti-speculation and anti-displacement protections.
• Protect renters from evictions and rent hikes to prevent further displacement in affected communities.
• Guarantee cash assistance for all whose livelihoods or wages have been impacted by the wildfires, regardless of status.
• Support impacted schools and child-care providers to ensure stability for working families recovering from disaster.
• Direct resources to the most affected communities to ensure an equitable and just recovery.
• Enforce existing All-Electric Building Code provisions while upgrading electrical infrastructure to increase reliability.
• Shut down LA’s oil wells to protect public health, safety, and the future of our city.

Press conference for Los Angeles Wildfires at First AME Church on January 17th

Reclaiming Our Power, Restoring Our Future

The climate crisis is not just about policy—it is about our relationship to the land, to one another, and to the systems that shape our lives. Corporate interests have exploited the environment for profit, severing the deep, reciprocal relationship between people and the planet. This moment calls on us to reclaim our power—not just for ourselves, but for future generations.

By demanding corporate accountability, protecting vulnerable communities, and prioritizing climate justice, we can restore sustainable practices pioneered by Indigenous land stewards and ensure a livable future for all.

The fight for climate justice requires PEOPLE POWER. We must stay informed, get organized, and take collective action to challenge corporate interests that prioritize profits over people. Change happens when communities unite, mobilize, and demand systemic transformation. Join us in this fight—together, we can build a future that honors the land, safeguards our communities, and fosters true sustainability and resilience.