Parks California has announced the launch of a $5 million fundraising effort in support of California State Parks to reimagine, restore and reopen state parks affected by the January 2025 Los Angeles firestorm.

The RENEW LA Fund seeks donor investments to accelerate State Parks’ ability to initiate fire recovery and resiliency planning for Will Rogers State Historic Park and Topanga State Park, both badly damaged in the Palisades Fire.

The firestorm damaged nearly 8,500 acres of park lands, infrastructure, trails and more than 30 State Parks’ structures, one of which was the destruction of Will Rogers’ 31-room ranch. The Hollywood star began developing the property in 1925, with the original ranch house constructed in 1927 with a north wing addition coming in 1930. The ranch, the surrounding land and buildings were donated to California State Parks in 1944 by Rogers’ widow, Betty Rogers, with the assistance of Leo Carrillo, a family friend and a State Parks Commissioner at the time.

Will Rogers State Historic Park remains closed to the public and continues its disaster response and recovery efforts. Topanga State Park reopened hiking trails in unburned areas of the park to the public in mid-March. Estimates for the full reopening of either park are not yet known. “Generations of Californians have found comfort in their state parks, and as the Los Angeles area recovers from the devastating firestorm, these same parks can once again serve as a source for healing and a symbol of community regrowth— and the generosity of donors can help make that happen faster,” said Armando Quintero, California State Parks Director. “Our unique partnership with Parks California gives us an edge in quickly and efficiently rehabilitating these vital community assets while public resources are still being determined.”

Created by Senate Bill 1111 and launched in 2019, Parks California is an official California nonprofit public benefit corporation that builds collaborative partnerships and programs to support California State Parks and its 340 miles of public coastline, 970 miles of public lake and riverfront, 15,000 campsites and 5,200 miles of trails.

“These firestorms took so much from so many,” said Kindley Walsh Lawlor, president and CEO, Parks California. “Our places of safety and community, homes, schools, houses of worship and our state parks have been permanently upended. Restoring these parks will serve as a beacon of recovery for Angelenos and those who come to Southern California for refuge, rebuilding our collective sense of community.”

The first phase of planning is kicking off and is expected to include field investigations, general assessments and GIS analysis to inform the long-term reimagining and restoration efforts. Donor investments will accelerate new infrastructure and park amenities, community outreach and environmental resilience measures, alongside trail restoration, facility repairs and wildlife recovery projects.

An innovative public-private collaboration, Parks California focuses on the long-term stewardship of California’s state parks, supporting programs that improve access by bringing more people into parks, fostering inclusion through culturally relevant experiences and advancing innovative solutions to environmental challenges like sea-level rise, ecosystem restoration, watershed protection and disaster recovery.

Learn more about how to support California State Parks through the RENEW LA fund: parkscalifornia.org/southern-ca-firestorms/. Gifts can be made online or by contacting philanthropy@parkscalifornia.org for more information.