L.A. County offers crisis counseling to fire victims

The Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health is offering free crisis counseling to victims of the Sayre and Freeway Complex fires.

"When you talk about traumatic events like these, they will be affecting people for days, weeks, months and even years after," said Ken Kondo, a spokesman for the department. "The recovery process has to start now."

Symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder include nightmares, sleeplessness and irritability, according to Kondo. He said current anxiety over the economy may add to the trauma.

Sayre fire victims can seek help at the San Fernando Valley Mental Health Center on Balboa Boulevard in Granada Hills or the West Valley Mental Health Center on Canoga Avenue in Canoga Park.

Victims of the Freeway Complex fire can go to the Arcadia Mental Health Center on Live Oak Avenue in Arcadia.

Each of the centers will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. For after-hours services, contact the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health's ACCESS Center at (800) 854-7771. The ACCESS Center is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Linthicum is a Times staff writer.

kate.linthicum@latimes.com