JANUARY NEWSLETTER

Hello Friends!

We hope your 2025 has been off to great start in spite of all the extreme weather events across the country. January tends to feel like the longest month, but this year might be the longest ever! There have been a handful of storms and arctic fronts, bringing freezing temperatures to states who normally experience mild to no wintery weather. This can be particularly impactful on homeless animals and those in shelters. From blankets to emergency fosters, many have a list of critical needs during times like these. If you're able, check out the shelters in your area.

Given the less than favorable flying conditions, we used this down time due to attend pilot training and continuing education and we're currently wrapping up some routine plane maintenance and scheduled inspections. We'll be back in a couple weeks though, and when we return to the skies for our next rescue mission on February 12th it will be our 100th FLIGHT!

We're also currently working with some wonderful shelters in Los Angeles in continuing efforts to support transporting animals left homeless and displaced by the recent fires. Our blog article this month covers the devastating wildfires and the many organizations who are providing ongoing support.

There are some new stories as well! So top off your coffee or tea and give it all a read.

ENJOY THE WEEKED & STAY WARM!



Amanda Gates

amandag@raceforliferescue.org

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

In two weeks, we'll be partnering with BISSELL Pet Foundation to fly some lucky animals from Baton Rouge, LA to our shelter friends in the northeast. Its a flight we've made many times, but this one is particularly special because it will be our 100th FLIGHT!

Over the next couple of weeks, we'll be highlighting some of our most memorable flights and amazing rescues. To date, we've saved over 6,200 animals across 27 states.



THIS MONTH'S BLOG POST

Last summer we shared some wildfire facts and preparatory information in our July blog post, in response to the Park fire, which burned across Butte and Tehama counties, burning over 670 sq miles of land in northern California. Just six months later, multiple fires swept across the Los Angeles area, leaving 29 people dead, incinerating over 50,000 acres and destroying more than 23,000 structures. Like super storms, these wildfires are burning faster, hotter, and with more force than ever.

In fact, fire alerts this early in the year, let alone within the first three weeks, are quite rare. However, over 170 fire alerts were detected in the Los Angeles area as of January 13th – more than 100 times the average for the same timeframe from 2012 through 2024. As a result, the LA wildfires became one of California’s most devastating fires to date.

IN THE NEWS