Californians get creative with giving in the face of devastating fires

Three weeks ago, Nicole Murray had been thinking about presents.

It was just after Black Friday, and she was hoping to come up with some great gift ideas for the people she loved. “I wanted to go above and beyond,” she recalls.

Then on Dec. 4, the Thomas fire struck. Ms. Murray found herself rushing out of the Ventura, Calif., home she shared with her boyfriend and his family with nothing but her two dogs and a haphazardly packed suitcase. Later they learned the fire had burned down their house – along with most of the neighborhood.

In some ways, Murray counts herself lucky: she and her family

Fresh meals from a survivorBuying water and raising moneySomber, but appreciative