STURGEON BAY, Wis. — Southern California is bracing for more dangerous winds as the death toll from raging wildfires continues to rise. Meanwhile, disaster relief efforts to help victims are being set up across the nation, including in Wisconsin.

“The footage, people posting videos online, it was heartbreaking, and so that night, we basically had an all-nighter to plan a candle fundraiser,” said Christiana Tripani, the owner of Door County Candle Company.

The product they created in honor of southern California is an orange clove-scented candle. One hundred percent of all profits from the Golden State candle are going to American Red Cross relief efforts in California.


What You Need To Know

  • Door County Candle Company created an orange clove-scented Golden State candle to help with relief efforts in California

  • Owner Christiana Tripani said her company has a line of cause candles with the goal of impacting lives one candle at a time

  • Door County Candle Company raised $60,000 for the 2023 Maui wildfires and over a million dollars to help Ukraine

Caroline Reiter came in to buy one on Monday. She said her sister barely escaped the California wildfires of 2003, that burned over one million acres of land.

“There’s been so much natural disaster in the states lately. So many people need help immediately,” said Reiter, as she reflected on something she could do to help. “It’s amazing how the purchase of a candle can go a long way if everybody joins in. So, they’re doing really, really good work here.”

Door County Candle Company has raised more than $1 million for the people of Ukraine and raised more than $60,000 for people affected by wildfires in Maui, Hawaii. 

“We try as best we can to jump in to help with natural disasters, as much as we can, to make a difference, to help to raise money, to raise money and funds,” Tripani said.

Patrick Lord volunteered to help with candle production during the company’s Ukraine efforts. Now, he’s helping with this latest effort to raise money for California.

“We knew that was bad, and the Santa Ana winds were blowing and blowing, so it got worse and worse and worse. So, we knew that we should do something,” Lord said.

In stepping up to do something, Door County Candle Company has raised more than $10,000 in just the first four days of the effort. If you would like to buy a candle for California wildfire relief efforts, click here.