The Society for the Preservation of Japanese Animation, the organization behind Anime Expo and manga publishers Tokyopop, Aurora Publishing, Go Comi, Digital Manga Publishing, and Viz Media are aiding victims of the California fires by supplying free manga volumes to Southern California wildfire evacuees currently residing at Fire Relief Shelters/Evacuation Centers.

 

Driven by hot, dry, powerful Santa Ana winds numerous wildfires raged across Southern California this week, and at their height these raging infernos forced the evacuation of 500,000 people, one of the largest disaster-caused migrations in U.S. history.  Over 1,500 homes were destroyed in the blazes that charred over 410,000 acres.  All four manga publishers participating in the efforts to aid fire victims are based in California and their efforts were undoubtedly appreciated at the relief centers where sources of entertainment were few and the hours long as evacuees waited until it was safe to return to see if their homes had survived the conflagrations.