Packers QB, Cal alum, Aaron Rodgers pledges $1 million to Camp Fire relief

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers wears a sweatshirt that reads "Butte Strong" in support of the victims of the Camp Fire in Butte County, Calif., as he talks to reporters following the Packers' NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018, in Seattle. The Seahawks won 27-24. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear) less Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers wears a sweatshirt that reads "Butte Strong" in support of the victims of the Camp Fire in Butte County, Calif., as he talks to reporters following the Packers' NFL ... more Photo: Stephen Brashear / Associated Press Photo: Stephen Brashear / Associated Press Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Packers QB, Cal alum, Aaron Rodgers pledges $1 million to Camp Fire relief 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers, a Cal alum, announced Wednesday that he will donate $1 million to Camp Fire relief efforts after the deadliest and most destructive blaze in state history ravaged communities not far from his hometown in Butte County.

Rodgers, who was born and raised in Chico, said in a video posted to Twitter that he reached out to friends and the city’s mayor to see how he could help the recovery efforts days after the wildfire, which has killed at least 81 people and destroyed 18,421 structures.

“The city of Paradise burned to the ground, and many of the residents that got out are now displaced in my hometown of Chico,” he said. “Raising money for immediate needs and long-term recovery is what’s most needed right now.”

Please take a minute to watch this and if you can, take a few seconds to retweet this using the #retweet4good

All the money goes to a great organization for the immediate needs and the recovery efforts for the #CampFireParadise

Thank you #ButteStrong #payitforward pic.twitter.com/iQjMbUIHcI — Aaron Rodgers (@AaronRodgers12) November 21, 2018

Rodgers, who has twice won the NFL’s MVP award and signed the richest contract in league history in August, opened a relief fund with the nonprofit North Valley Community Foundation. For every retweet that includes the hashtag #Retweet4Good, he said, State Farm Insurance will donate $1, up to $1 million total, by Sunday night.

Rodgers’ teammates on the Packers also have set up a relief fund: https://www.gofundme.com/packersplayersforcali.

The Camp Fire ignited Nov. 8 and has left a path of destruction. Thousands of people have been displaced, hundreds remain missing and most evacuees from Paradise and Magalia are still under a mandatory evacuation order.

Rodgers played at Butte Community College before transferring to Cal. He spent two seasons (2003-04) with the Bears before the Packers took him in the first round in 2005.

Sarah Ravani and Josh Koehn are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com, josh.koehn@sfchronicle.com, Twitter: @SarRavani, @Josh_Koehn