SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) - A former KELOLAND employee from Ipswich, South Dakota, who now lives in California has evacuated her home in Los Angeles County due to the wildfires, which are now on day four of burning. Allyson Geditz Thompson has lived in California for over 20 years and says she's never experienced something this severe. "I have never seen anything like this since I have lived here in California. We've had fires, we've had winds, but nothing like these past few days," Geditz Thompson said. Geditz Thompson says it started on Tuesday with alerts warning them of high winds."We had a huge branch blocking our driveway and branches all around in the neighborhood. And that continued all day. And then the fires started and they haven't stopped," Geditz Thompson said. Contractor working on light pole when it fell on I-229 Thompson lives in Burbank. Five different fires have surrounded her neighborhood. Although her area is safe, she's going north to escape the mountains of smoke. "It just looks gray. Like yesterday, as the smoke was coming up, it was kind of more jaw-dropping. But today it just looks gloomy," Geditz Thompson said. Officials are telling residents to conserve water and to wear a KN95 mask when going outside. "I just stepped outside right now for probably 60 seconds and my nose and my lungs were burning," Geditz Thompson said. Geditz Thompson says with the fires uprooting tens of thousands of people's livelihoods, the community will have a long road to recovery ahead. One of her friends who lives in Altadena lost their home in the Eaton Fire. "If you can send donations great, firefighters, clothing, people who are losing their homes, people who just may not be able to get into their homes, there are pets, animals. Everybody is affected by this and it's sad," Geditz Thompson said. The multiple wildfires have claimed the lives of at least 10 people and are expected to rise as of Jan. 10. The American Red Cross has sent over 200 workers to Southern California. Click here for a variety of resources and donation sites plus shelters.