Death toll in Eaton, Palisades fires rises to 24 as crews prepare for more strong winds

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.

Amidst confusion around budget cuts affecting the Los Angeles Fire Department while thousands of firefighters are battling at least five wildfires, ABC News dug into the city budgets and other publicly available documents for the city.

In May 2024, the city of Los Angeles adopted a Fiscal Year 2024 - 2025 budget that cut the appropriations for the fire department by $17.6 million from the previous year.

At the time, the city of Los Angeles was negotiating the union contract with the firefighters' union, the United Firefighters of Los Angeles City.

On Nov. 5, the City Council voted to approve a union contract for 2024 - 2028. A report that was sent to the city a day prior outlined the fiscal impact of the contract and stated that it would cost approximately $76 million in the 2024 - 2025 fiscal year. This was to increase salaries and benefits for union members.

On Dec. 17, 2024, the LA Fire Commission sent a report to Mayor Karen Bass by Fire Chief Kristin Crowley. In it, Crowley stated that the department is facing "unprecedented operational challenges due to the elimination of critical civilian positions and a $7 million reduction" in overtime hours.

With the new contract approved, the budget for the fire department in Fiscal Year 2024 - 2025 increased from $819.6 million to $895.6 million. When compared to the previous year's budget (Fiscal Year 2023 - 2024), this current year's fire department budget in total is larger by $58.4 million. According to a document from the city administrative officer, the increase in this year's budget was approved specifically to meet salary and benefit increases included in the new union contract.

In an interview with a local FOX station on Friday, Crowley responded after being repeatedly asked if the city failed her and her department, she said "yes," echoing her letter to the mayor from December.

"My number one priority has been and will continue to be, that our firefighters get what they need, so that they can serve the community. That is number one. I'm going to turn down the noise when it comes to any type of criticism, because every decision that I make is going to be based off of what my firefighters need," Crowley said.

At least 11 people are believed to be dead -- with the Los Angeles County sheriff saying he expects that number to rise -- as devastating fires spread across Southern California amid dry and windy conditions.The largest blaze, the Palisades Fire, in Pacific Palisades, has scorched over 22,000 acres, destroyed thousands of structures and is 11% contained. The Eaton Fire, in Altadena, now stands at more than 14,000 acres and 15% contained. More than 150,000 people are under evacuation orders.