There's something that's been weighing on my mind so please just bear with me as I spill my thoughts.
We take pictures not for recognition but to raise awareness. People need to see what those who are affected are dealing with and what they're going through. People in other parts of the state don't realize or recognize the devastation these fires cause, not by their own fault but because they don't see it. We don't normally see wildfires of these magnitudes on the West side of the state. It's important to document these events and to bring light to the situation so more people might feel the need to help their fellow citizens. Think of war time photographers. People wouldn't know what was happening in, for instance, Vietnam or Germany if it wasn't for documenting the events with photographs and video. In order to reach more people and to further philanthropy, we need to inform the people and show them what people are going through.
This is something that will continue for years. We see fire season happen every summer. Their whole economy is at stake. Their livestock, agriculture, their livelihoods are in jeopardy. Where do we get our produce? Majority of it comes from Eastern WA. Where does the entire state get their apples? You guessed it, Eastern WA. One of the locals we spoke to last night said the only thing insurance covers is STORED winter hay. If a farmer or rancher loses their pastures or dead cattle it's not covered by insurance. What happens if a rancher uses their winter hay to feed their livestock because their pasture burns? No hay for the winter. People are going on a week of no power and no drinkable water. Elderly people who need oxygen have no power and they're trying to run on generators. Generators use gas and gas costs money. People hunt their own food and store thousands of dollars of meat in their freezers, which has to now be thrown out. These are things most of us don't think about until we are in these situations ourselves. This is why Mana does what we do. People need relief, we answer those calls for help. We document these trips and the situations to spread awareness. If you want to help or if you're interested in being a part of Mana Wildfire Logistics, please let us know.