As thousands of acres continue to burn in southern California, Minnesota helpers are preparing to head west. 

“We have wide shoulders to cry on, long arms to hug and lots of tissue for those tears,” Kyle Parkinson, a veteran volunteer with the American Red Cross, told 5 EYWITNESS NEWS. 

“We will open shelters, as many as are needed,” Parkinson added about her work in California. She has a plane ticket booked for Thursday morning to head west and help. 

Parkinson is well aware of the impact, having responded to the Hawaii fires and three other wildfires in California.

“They come in and they’re [just] in a state of shock,” Parkinson said about the people she’s helped in the past while responding to a wildfire. “It takes them a while to wrap their heads around [what’s] going on, and then where do they go.”

As of Wednesday night, authorities in the Los Angeles area reported multiple fires were burning out of control — with dry conditions and high winds, much of fighting the flames was defensive, trying to save homes as a growing number of structures became ruin. Tens of thousands are being forced from their home.  

RELATED: Wildfires latest: Tens of thousands ordered to evacuate as fires tear through Los Angeles area

Other Minnesotans always ready to respond to such disasters are the firefighters in northern Minnesota.

“In emergencies, we all help out each other, so we’ll do what we can to help our partners,” Nick Petrack, fire staff officer for the Superior and Chippewa National Forests, told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS. “We have protocols in place.”

While he and his crews have been called west to help, Petrack says there has already been communication among crews around the nation about sending support. 

“They did put an order in for like 50 [fire] engines in [southern California], and that’ll trickle through,” Petrack added. 

In his nearly 30 years battling wildfires — including his first in California — Petrack said the weather will have to improve for local crews to get a handle on the situation. 

“They’re just gonna have to kind of see what they have after the winds subside. One of the bigger factors that is difficult is the lack of aircraft use,” he said. “Each and every one of us, you know, sympathizes for what those people are going through.”

As for how others can help, the American Red Cross said people can donate or start training with them to become a volunteer.