‘So heartbreaking’: Lincoln woman from California feels for friends during wildfires

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – While flames scorch the land in southern California, the emotional toll is spreading far beyond the borders of the state.

A former California woman who moved to Lincoln said she feels the grief of her friends who are still battling the wildfires.

Back in Lincoln, Alison Rash anxiously watches the news as wildfires threaten the homes of her friends.

“Wildfires aren’t new to southern California, but this seems to be on a whole different scope,” Rash said.

She said some of her friends have everything packed up and are ready to leave at any moment; others have already lost their homes.

“Seeing it from afar is so heartbreaking, but imagining being right there and seeing it, I think is just a level of devastation that’s hard to even fathom,” Rash said.

The destruction in California is staggering, with entire neighborhoods and cities leveled, leaving thousands of families displaced.

For Rash, it’s not just about the homes being lost; it’s about the people she loves being forced to leave everything behind.

“I was talking with a close friend the other day when the fires were starting, and she heard some sirens and, just, we had to get off the phone,” she said.

Though thousands of miles separate them, Rash is determined to support her friends.

“We just want to send all our love and our prayers to everyone who’s in southern California right now and just know you’re not alone and we’re thinking about you,” she said.

Many of Rash’s friends in California are artists and to help them, she posts their art on her social media and buys their art.

She said others can do the same by heading to their Instagram pages.