Fire Poppy Project: Support Renters Affected By Eaton Fire

Fire Poppy Project is an emergency response to the 2025 Eaton Fire in Los Angeles County, California, started by Enji Chung, Amita Swadhin, and Mimi Kim. This fund supports renters who are Black, Indigenous, of color, and/or low-income whose homes were either burned down or contaminated by toxic smoke and ash in the Eaton Fire (San Gabriel Valley, Los Angeles, California).

Renters have had smoke and ash damage even when their structure is standing. The City of Pasadena and the County of LA, have issued a public health emergency because of the contamination of toxic elements like asbestos, lead, arsenic in the air, smoke, and ash. This should not be handled by anyone without proper PPE equipment and training. Asbestos, for instance, is known to cause long-term, life threatening health issues such as lung cancer.

However, many renters do not have renter's insurance that would cover industrial cleanup services, and unfortunately many landlords are refusing to pay for this service (stating rental unit cleaning is a tenant responsibility).

Ideally, funds raised would pay for industrial cleanup for BIPOC and low-income renters and/or for relocation and item replacement for folks who have to move due to the fire.

However, industrial cleanup is expensive (initial quotes are over $5/square foot), so we are also considering purchasing PPE and cleanup equipment for the community, to be donated after Eaton Fire cleanup to a local grassroots organization for future fire cleanup. Such equipment may include: HEPA ash vacuums, hazmat suits and booties, elastomeric P100 masks, fire goggles, nitrile gloves, work boots, and cleaning products for removing ash and smoke (ex: laundry sanitizer, wet mops, commercial strength trash bags, etc.).

Enji, Amita, and Mimi are long-time community organizers who build and tend networks of collective care and who reside in Los Angeles County. Enji and Amita live in the San Gabriel Valley, where the Eaton Fire occurred.

They selected the fire poppy (papaver californicum) flower because it is endemic to California and the seeds, once scattered, can lie dormant for years; smoke acts as a trigger for them to germinate.

Funds raised by Fire Poppy Project will directly support tenants whose expenses related to Eaton Fire-related cleanup, moving, item replacement, and preparation for future fire-related emergencies are not covered by FEMA or renter's insurance.

This fund is managed by Moving Mountains, a US-based feminist organization that builds collective power of those most impacted, providing space, resources, and support to achieve gender equity.

Thanks to Jio Im for creating our logo.