Firefighters holding Eaton, Palisades fires in check, but new wind event is on the way

Anthem Blue Cross and the Anthem Blue Cross Foundation announced $10 million in new grants to help communities impacted by the deadly wildfires in Southern California.

Anthem Blue Cross said the funding will help bolster partnerships with national and community organizations focused on assisting those whose lives have been upended by the disaster. It will also help provide food, shelter, medical care, mental health services, economic assistance, infrastructure repair and rebuilding efforts.

"We want our associates, members, care providers, and communities to know we stand with them. Together with our partners, Anthem Blue Cross and the Foundation will continue offering support now to help our neighbors impacted by wildfires rebuild their lives, businesses, livelihoods, and communities," said Beth Andersen, President Anthem Blue Cross Commercial Plans.

As the Eaton Fire was just picking up on the hill by their house, Jeffrey Ku and Cheryll Ku realized they had to leave immediately on Tuesday

Videos captured by the house Ring camera and filmed by the couple as they were loading the car to evacuate show the dangerous Eaton Fire escalating in a matter of minutes.

Jeffrey Ku and Cheryll Ku raced to evacuated as the Eaton Fire, one of at least five California fires burning, escalated within a matter of minutes.

"I need you to come out here right now," Cheryll Ku says at 6:19 p.m.

Less than 10 minutes later, what seemed like a smaller fire engulfed most of the hill.

Ten more minutes and the air got filled with smoke, the sky a bright red as flames expanded all around the hill.

"I remember saying goodbye to our home as I backed out of our driveway for what I thought would be the last time I would ever see our home again," Jeffrey Ku wrote in a post.

He said their house miraculously survived the Eaton Fire, but many next to them "lost everything."

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Sunday he has increased California National Guard personnel activated to support the wildfire response efforts to a total of about 2,500 service members - up from 1,000.

"The men and women of the California National Guard have been on the ground since day one - not only fighting fires, but also assisting with public safety efforts in communities devastated by these fires. We thank them for their efforts to keep our communities safe," Newsom said.

With the newest deployment, California has mobilized more than 15,000+ personnel including firefighters, guard service members, highway patrol officers and transportation teams to support the firefight.

The increased deployment is expected to be complete by Monday.

Even if you're nowhere near any of the fires right now, the widespread emergency is triggering more anxiety for many of us.

Experts showed us some coping strategies to help ease those feelings.

"I can't express enough how sorry I am for this experience," said Kevin McGowan, director of the Office of Emergency Management for Los Angeles County.

He acknowledged how erroneous emergency alerts added unnecessary fear and anxiety.

"I think it's really triggering for folks, because it could be real," said Dr. Ashley Zucker, a Child, Adult and Adolescent psychiatrist with Kaiser Permanente San Bernardino.

Even if you're nowhere near any of the fires right now, the widespread emergency is triggering more anxiety for many of us.

When she received an alert, she told her kids not to panic.

Then she followed the advice she would give any of her patients.

"I checked my other resources. Is there a fire near my home? Is this true that I need to evacuate? OK, this was a false alarm. It must apply to somebody else," Zucker said.

She said the unpredictable nature of the wildfires is making everyone feel vulnerable.

"I think that's really changed that sense of safety for so many people, and I think that's really a primary driver of a lot of the anxiety that people are experiencing right now," she said.

Destruction, the loss of beloved pets, evacuations, injuries and the deaths of loved ones could have mental health effects that could last months or even years. Even those far from burn areas are dealing with upheaval. Closed schools mean working parents are scrambling for childcare.

"It's very reminiscent of COVID, right, when people were still working and their kids were home and doing virtual school, and how to navigate that," said Zucker.

Even in times of chaos, Zucker advises trying to get back to a daily routine.

"Maybe you can't go to work or you can't go home, but you know, waking up at the same time every day, having your meals at the same time every day, Things like that can actually be very, very helpful," she said.

Also, create an action plan for any situation you're in. It lets your kids know you're prepared as a family. And what can also go a long way in reducing anxiety is to find ways to reach out and connect with others.

"Recognize and thank and support our first responders who are really, you know, putting their lives on the line to make sure that all of us are OK.

You know, I think it's that ability to give back in any way possible also can be very, very rewarding when we're going through something that is so incredibly difficult," Zucker said.