The wildfires recently ravaging California have once again reminded us of nature’s devastating power. Thousands of acres of land have been scorched, leaving entire communities in peril.

Per recent updates > 100,000 acres burned across the state, thousands of people were displaced, at least 2,000 structures were damaged or destroyed and at least 28 people have died. Over 60,000 residents in affected areas had to evacuate, and local authorities are working tirelessly to control the flames and provide relief, now with roughly 80% of the major blazes contained.

However, even as we all hope for a fast end to this horrible event, as rains are forecasted this coming week, officials are now warning about potential mudslides and “toxic ash” runoff from the rain. Toxic ash is all the charred materials from the fires and it can contain pesticides, asbestos, plastics and lead, according to the Associated Press. Officials say more evacuations may be necessary to deal with the new threats.

Then comes long-term environmental damage, economic loss, and immense emotional tolls on individuals and families.  Living in Canada’s west coast, I'm not directly affected by this (LA) fire, but I have been by the almost routine fires we now see in our Province’s beautiful interior region, or from fires regularly hitting our southern neighbours in Washington State.  Miles away from my home, their thick, toxic smoke blankets our local skies where we too have had “shut in” alerts where that smoke from so far can cause respiratory issues for many.

My company’s head offices are based in California, and although closer to the Bay Area (near San Fransisco), we have staff living near LA currently on evacuation notice.  These damned things impact us all…

Efforts to rebuild and provide support are already underway, with some initiatives driven by the innovative tech world. VeVe, a popular digital collectibles platform, has entered the fundraising space to assist those affected by the disaster after receiving feedback from members of its enormous community, to see if there was a way to lend a hand.

SO THEY ARE! (Click to See YT Info Below):

After all, back on March 11th, 2022, VeVe partnered with well-known artist Ron English to create and drop a very unique, limited release art set for its Ukraine Relief Project - read details HERE:  If I recall correctly, that drop sold out in minutes, generating over $1.1M in revenue that went directly to the Red Cross!

DROP DETAILS:

Once again, in partnership with the American Red Cross, VeVe has launched the "LA Strong" collection: digital collectibles created specifically to support those rebuilding their lives as a result of loss from the LA fires.

100% of the revenues generated from the sale of these exclusive digital items will go directly to the American Red Cross, working on the front lines to provide immediate relief and long-term recovery efforts in wildfire-stricken areas.

The collectibles feature iconic imagery related to the resilience and spirit of Los Angeles, allowing fans of digital art and/or the city alike a unique, meaningful way to help contribute to the recovery.

I recently watched VeVe’s (6)-minute YouTube Video (see above) on this special release to learn more, and encourage you to check it out if you are more of the ‘video watcher’ than blog reader.

Co-CEO Ben Rose said something that really resonated with me, which is why I decided to write this blog to help spread the word as best I could:

“California is the home of movies…It’s the home of so many brands we all enjoy…it’s the home of Disneyland (for those of you maybe unfamiliar with VeVe, DISNEY is a major partner who release digital collectibles through VeVe’s platform).  It just means so much to so many, where MANY VeVe community members also live and work, who have been directly impacted by the fires."

So yeah…I’m writing a blog and will be buying at least one of these collectibles…it’s the least I can do, just as I purchased and still hold my Ron English Ukraine-Support digital assets.

Last note, if you do happen to be a collector of extremely limited, 1-of-1 artwork, you might find the 1:1 exclusive LA STRONG - HEART OF RENEWAL PIECE of interest.

There will only ever be ONE of these artist proofs created, verified minted on the Ethereum blockchain.  The starting bid is set at $1,781 so we will watch with great interest how this ends!

As wildfires continue to affect residents and communities around the world, platforms like VeVe provide an innovative way for people anywhere to support recovery efforts and make a tangible impact in the lives of those affected, while offering supporters a small token to remember their support effort with.

With over 8,000,000 NFTs sold and growing, I’m sure VeVe and its connected community will help, even if in just a small way.  Every purchase not only helps preserve the memories of the city’s strength, but directly supports the rebuilding process.

God Speed LA’s recovery and our thoughts to those who have lost so much.  Thank you all for reading this blog.