Touched by personal stories of anguish and loss from the fires, donors have sent tens of millions of dollars directly to families in Los Angeles via crowdfunding. These competing pleas for generosity have uneven results.

Thousands of wildfire victims have turned to GoFundMe and other crowdfunding sites to raise money to support themselves or loved ones impacted by the fires. However, those donations could limit monetary assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

When seeking assistance after the California wildfires, ensure that GoFundMe and FEMA funds are used for different purposes to avoid legal issues.