OLYMPIA – Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs is encouraging Washington residents, public employees, and state retirees to help residents affected by the numerous wildfires in Central and Eastern Washington state.
Secretary Hobbs authorized the activation of the Disaster Relief Center (DRC), a special function of the Office of the Secretary of State’s Combined Fund Drive (CFD), and initiation of a special fundraising campaign to benefit response and recovery efforts, August 3, 2026.
“In times of crisis, I know Washingtonians’ first thought is ‘How can I help?'” said Secretary Hobbs. “Anyone looking for a way to support our neighbors in Eastern Washington can feel confident their donations will go directly to organizations doing life-saving work on the ground.”
The DRC directs interested donors to verified and registered crisis-relief charities during periods of natural or humanitarian disasters that exceed a region’s capacity to provide help. The DRC does not endorse any specific charity but rather shares relevant and accurate information about the organizations to help inform donation decisions.
Eastern Washington has faced a devastating week of wildfires, with fast-moving fires fueled by extreme heat, drought, and high winds forcing tens of thousands of residents to evacuate. This has had devastating effects by destroying hundreds of homes and other structures; stretching firefighting resources across the state. In response, Governor Bob Ferguson issued Proclamation 26-03 that declared a statewide wildfire emergency, implemented statewide burn ban through September 30, and authorized the activation of the Washington National Guard to help protect lives, property, and critical natural resources as emergency crews continue battling multiple active fires.
State employees and retirees can make a one-time donation or set up a monthly payroll deduction through the Combined Fund Drive and use the charity code to designate the donation toward one of our member charities assisting in the affected area. For more information on specific charities involved or to set up a payroll contribution, go to the Disaster Relief Center web page.
Members of the public and non-state employees can make an online donation via our secure payment portal.
Washington’s Office of the Secretary of State oversees areas within state government including managing state elections, registering corporations and charities, and governing the use of the state flag and state seal. The office operates the State Archives and the State Library, documents extraordinary stories in Washington’s history through Legacy Washington, and administers the Combined Fund Drive for charitable giving by state employees and the Productivity Board state employee suggestion program. The Secretary of State oversees the state’s Address Confidentiality Program to help protect survivors of crime and the Civic Engagement Program to increase governmental trust and participation for all Washingtonians.