Supporting Communities Impacted by Wildfires

We’re part of the communities we serve, which is why we’re supporting those affected by the devastating wildfires in California, including thousands of our own employees living and working in the Los Angeles area. Many Californians are experiencing service outages resulting from extensive damage from the wildfires and due to preemptive power shutoffs.

As California battles this unprecedented wildfire season, we’ve undertaken efforts to help keep people supported, informed, and connected in impacted communities during this challenging time, including:

• Free Access to Wi-Fi Access Points | To help keep people in impacted communities connected, Spectrum has opened more than 35,000 out-of-home Wi-Fi access points that are available at no cost to all users.
• Keeping Affected Communities Informed with Expanded Access to Spectrum News Southern California | Because it is critically important for residents to remain informed about where fires are burning, how and where they are spreading, and areas to avoid, Spectrum News 1 SoCal has lifted all authentication requirements to give broad access to their coverage. Spectrum News meteorologists use state-of-the-art-technology to provide precise, updated forecasts to subscribers in Southern California. These weather reports are essential not only for residents in the community, but also for those fighting fires and coordinating emergency response.
  • Spectrum News 1 SoCal is available via the Spectrum News App and at Spectrumnews1.com/ca/southern-california. 
  • To support local coverage of the Greater Los Angeles fires, Comcast has also launched Spectrum News 1 SoCal for customers in the state. Comcast customers will find Spectrum News on Channel 1132, which is available on Comcast’s Popular TV and Sports and News packages, in its standard Comcast Business package, and through the Stream App.
• Automatic Bill Credits | Customers whose Spectrum service continues to be impacted after power is restored will proactively receive daily credits until they are back online.
• No Charges for Damaged or Destroyed Equipment | If you have equipment that's been damaged or destroyed, please contact us and we'll make sure you’re not charged for the damages.
• $2.5M Committed to Support Wildfire Relief Efforts | Spectrum’s commitment includes $500,000 in total cash contributions to be split between the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation, American Red Cross Los Angeles Region, and the California Fire Foundation; $1 million committed to support small businesses in the Los Angeles area through the Spectrum Community Investment Loan Fund; and $1 million in in-kind public service announcement (PSA) airtime to support nonprofit organizations in their wildfire relief efforts.
• Supporting Affected Employees | Spectrum has activated the company’s Employee Disaster Assistance Policy to support employees with expenses incurred during this emergency including costs related to temporary housing, transportation, and the purchase of food and essential items.
• Helping Service Organizations | To help relief and service organizations during the LA Wildfires, Spectrum is providing a number of Red Cross and other service organization locations that have Spectrum a free upgrade to 1 Gig service. Spectrum is also offering free 1 Gig service through the end of February to service organizations providing support during the wildfires that are not currently Spectrum subscribers.
  • Spectrum has also established a microsite to facilitate employee donations to the American Red Cross.
• Government and Community Coordination | We’re working closely with federal, state, and local government officials, community leaders, and alongside others in the industry to ensure we are meeting needs and sharing appropriate information.
• Restoration and Recovery | As areas are deemed safe to enter, our crews will work as quickly as possible to safely conduct field surveys to identify impacted customers and restore service for our customers.

Whether through wildfires, hurricanes, or other natural disasters, Charter supports the communities we serve. We’re working around the clock for our customers and employees and helping to ensure those in impacted areas can stay safe and connected.