As the wildfires continue to burn in the mountain communities not far from Fresno State, the University is doing what it can to help faculty, staff and students who had to evacuate and are displaced by the fires.

As of Friday morning, Sept. 11, Fresno State is aware of 32 employees and 89 students who have had to evacuate. Four have lost their homes.

If you would like to support faculty and staff who have been affected by the fires, the University has established a new Catastrophic Fund for Faculty and Staff. This ongoing fund will be used to address unexpected emergencies that have caused undue financial hardship for Fresno State employees. All full-time employees are eligible, including those employed by the auxiliaries. Employees will be asked to submit a simple application. (President Joseph I. Castro and cabinet have all contributed to this fund, as a way to support our colleagues in need and inspire others to do the same.)

As of Sept. 11, (in the first week since established) the fund has received $9,140 from 32 individual gifts, including $5,000 from the Office of the President.

To support Fresno State students, the existing Good Samaritan Fund assists students encountering an unforeseen financial emergency or catastrophic event that would otherwise prevent them from continuing their education at Fresno State.

Additionally, for others in our neighboring communities, the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee at Fresno State is hosting a fundraiser in partnership with the American Red Cross Central California Region: bit.ly/FresnoStateWildfireRelief.

Fresno State has also offered to accommodate a small number of evacuees in a building separate from our student residents on a short-term basis. As of Sept. 11, the University is providing temporary housing for about 25 displaced people — members of our campus community and their immediate family members.

We continue to monitor the situation, and we will be in communication with faculty, staff and students who may be in need of assistance.

For timely updates on how the University is supporting those affected by the Creek Fire, please check your Fresno State email regularly, visit the University’s Wildfire Impact website, and check for latest updates on the University’s primary Twitter and Instagram accounts.