"What my dad just sent over to the group chat is: "It's very scary."
His parents live in Pasadena, which is in an evacuation zone.
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"It sounds like it's been pretty chaotic," said Volain. "They just got back from a trip and I think they just kind of had to up and leave. There was an evacuation notice in their area in Pasadena."
They're now staying with his sister and brother-in-law.
"Even though we're on two different coasts, we're still close and we talk every day," he said. "It's frustrating and it's tough and it's scary."
In New Jersey, which just came through a record-breaking active forest fire season, fire crews have not been asked to help in California at this point but say they're always ready.
"We prepare for events like this. Right now it's winter and there's snow on the ground and we're prepping and training," said Supervising Forest Fire Warden David Achey.
He says these Santa Ana wind events typically last a few days, and says the firefight can be grueling -- firefighters often work 16 to 24 hours shifts.
"It's a lot of smoke, a lot of heat, dust, embers, smoke from burning vehicles and smoke from burning homes. All just adding to the stress," said Achey.
Red Cross volunteers here in our area are also at the ready to help. At this point, according to local officials, they have not been called upon.