AUSTIN, Texas — Apocalyptic is how Connor and Regina Hsu describe seeing flames from inside their home, looking out towards their backyard in La Cañada, California.
“Just very terrifying,” Regina Hsu said. “And it’s kind of scary to think like you know it’s out of our hands. We’re very, you know, hopeless and helpless.”
Regina’s family scrambled to get everything they needed, evacuating on Tuesday to Regina’s in-laws’ home in Cerritos. Her in-laws, Jine and Edward, are now in Central Texas with their daughter Annie.
“As a parent, we just want … we can do whatever we can to support them and work through it, you know?” Edward said. “They started their own life. But if the house burned down, what are they going to do?”
While Regina says their home is still standing, she said uncertainty still hangs in the air.
“We’re not in the clear. The fire’s still burning,” Hsu said. “And so embers could still fly to our neighborhood. So we’re still very concerned.”
Starting from scratch is what Taylore Weldon will have to do. She lives in Altadena with her son and mother and has a family member who lives in Austin. Her family evacuated on Tuesday before the fire reached them.
“I left everything. Degrees, passports, pictures, jewelry. Everything’s gone,” Weldon said.
Her home is now a total loss, with Weldon saying they will now have to start over.
“This is all I know. And then I was setting that foundation for my son, and it’s just heart-wrenching,” Weldon said.
These California dreams are now left in ashes, with homeowners now waiting for them to rise.
“I wanted to make the house a home for him and all the memories with his friends,” Weldon said. “Now it’s like giving me a new perspective. Things can be gone in the blink of an eye.”
The American Red Cross serving Central and South Texas told KVUE that they have not deployed volunteers from their region to help with the wildfires, but that their teams remain on standby.
A family member of Weldon’s organized a GoFundMe to help her family recover from their losses. GoFundMe has also organized a centralized hub housing all the verified pages related to the wildfires.
Below is a list of other ways you can donate to help with wildfire relief.
The California Fire Foundation Wildfire & Disaster Relief Fund supports victims of wildfires and disasters. To donate, click here.
World Central Kitchen is distributing free meals to first responders and the public at locations in Southern California.
The American Red Cross is looking for public support, with hundreds of workers helping Southern California residents.