LA wildfires; Wisconsin continues to provide help, donations

HALES CORNERS, Wis. - There's been a nationwide response to the fires tearing through Los Angeles.

People across Wisconsin are pitching in where they can, including agencies as big as the American Red Cross and other, smaller nonprofits pulling together donations to help all impacted by the wildfires, from people to pets.

The donations are piling up.

Local perspective:

"We got some litter, some different canned products for cats and dogs," said Hales Corner End of the Leash manager Corey Prom. "Someone brought in a case of water."

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There’s also bags, boxes, cases and cans.

"Mostly food and littler, because that's what they really need at the moment," Prom said. "The goal is hopefully for people that probably lost everything they have to help them support their pets."

All getting ready to hit the road for the West Coast.

He said they're partnering with Blackberry Point Haven Rescue in Lake Geneva, collecting donations to ship off to those impacted by the deadly wildfires in California.

"I think people care about their pets more than themselves and in situations like this it definitely shows," Prom said.

He said they're collecting donations until Tuesday night.

Then, on Wednesday morning, items from their Hales Corner and Mukwonago location are going to Lake Geneva on a truck and headed to California.

Big picture view:

"Now is the time for people to remain vigilant, be prepared to evacuate," said Rebecca Rockhill, executive director of the Northeast Wisconsin Chapter of the Red Cross.

Red Cross leaders say nearly 900 evacuees woke up in Red Cross shelters Monday morning. The agency has deployed eight people from Wisconsin to help.

Los Angeles County wildfires

Red Cross disaster program manager Audrey Erdmann is one of them, working at the Pasadena shelter where nearly 500 people are sheltering.

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She said volunteers are going out in the community, making sure people evacuate and have access to services, health care and even showers.

But Erdmann said as the fires continue to burn, those in shelters are still struggling with the unknown.

"For this one to tear through neighborhoods like this, was not expected," Erdmann said. "It's incredibly difficult, they're watching news coverage and they're hoping they don't see coverage of their home."

What you can do:

 Erdmann said financial donations are the best to give right now. Those interested in doing so can text the word "CAWILDFIRES" to 90999 to make a donation.