"My friend lives on the street. She told me her house went down. It was obvious my house went down," said Altadena resident Ariana Perez.
"What you see here is just my clothes, it's all I have. I couldn't take anything else," said Altadena resident Edwin Isaacs.
In the face of this devastation, Gina Zapanta and Mike Alder, a couple from Sherman Oaks, have stepped up to provide support to those in need.
"We have our businesses here, our homes here. Also being lawyers, helping people with their legal needs but it goes beyond that," Zapata said.
Both practicing attorneys, Zapanta and Alder have opened their law firm in Valley Village as a safe haven for those affected by the fires. They have also booked hotel rooms throughout the Valley for evacuees and families who lost their homes.
"We're private citizens, we're not a charity. I think because of that we're able to mobilize quickly. And so we do have a Venmo link. And people are just donating from $1 to beyond, literally every bit goes to pay for the hotels. And now we're preparing for a Saturday drive for essentials and care packages," Zapanta said.
"Everything is on our bios on our Instagram pages. Any questions or if you need to reach out, just go there," Alder said.
With the help of community donations through their Venmo, the couple has provided shelter to over 167 families. For many who have lost everything, having a safe place to stay offers a glimmer of hope.
"I was lucky enough that they picked me and my son to find somewhere to shelter ourselves at," Perez said.
"We were in our car; we didn't have anywhere to go. We were actually staying in their law office until we checked in. We're just so blessed to have them step in during this time of need," said Altadena resident Nadine Isaacs.
Zapata and Alder said they have received hundreds of requests from families on Instagram and they will be working around the clock to fulfill each one.