The San Francisco 49ers issued a statement on Wednesday sharing that the team has joined other Bay Area sports franchises to collectively donate $450,000 to support the North Bay fire relief efforts. The other teams that contributed to the donation are the Golden State Warriors, Oakland Athletics, Oakland Raiders, San Francisco Giants, San Jose Earthquakes, and the San Jose Sharks.
The teams also urge their fans to contribute to the effort and have set up a You Caring page to do so. Fans can also text "REDCROSS" to 90999 to donate $10 to American Red Cross Disaster Relief.
"The North Bay fires have devastated families, homes, businesses, and schools across the region, and as first responders work tirelessly to put out the fires and aid those in need, Bay Area sports teams are unified in supporting relief efforts," said 49ers CEO Jed York via the statement sent out to the media. "Although we can never replace what was lost, together we can help those impacted by the fires rebuild."
Firefighters from across California and neighboring states are working feverishly to contain the fires that have resulted in multiple casualties and destroyed more than 2,000 structures. The North Bay fires, which started on Sunday, are some of the most destructive wildfires in California history.