Celebrities are stepping up with significant gifts and volunteer efforts to help the communities affected by the terrible wildfires in Los Angeles County. The Palisades and Eaton fires have burned about 35,000 acres and destroyed more than 9,000 buildings, forcing about 180,000 people to leave their homes.
Jennifer Garner has lived in the Palisades for a long time and has teamed up with celebrity chef José Andrés and his group, World Central Kitchen, to feed firefighters and people who had to leave their homes. Garner talked about how the accident affected her personally in an emotional interview with MSNBC. She said a friend from her Methodist church “didn’t get out in time.” She said, “I can think of 100 families, and there are 5,000 homes lost,” showing that she felt guilty for being alive. I could make a list of all my friends who lost their homes.
Although Paris Hilton lost her beach house in Malibu in the fires, she has set up an emergency fund through her charity, 11:11 Media Impact. Hilton started the project by giving a gift of $100,000 and has promised to match that amount with another $100,000. The fund aims to help families with young children by meeting their immediate needs. Hilton wrote on Instagram, “As a mom, I can’t imagine the pain and fear of not having a safe place for your babies.” The fund works with Baby2Baby and Sean Penn’s Community Organized Relief Effort to give people in need basic goods, temporary housing, and money.
Different types of celebrities also show their support. Sharon Stone and Halle Berry have turned the Beverly Boulevard +COOP store into a place where clothes are sent to different stores. Berry said she would give her “entire closet” to people who need it. Uber has teamed up with the store to help with deliveries throughout Los Angeles. Jamie Lee Curtis, an actress, has also promised to donate $1 million to help, and Jennifer Lopez has canceled TV appearances to focus on rescue efforts.
Mayor Victor Gordo met with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. As the Eaton Fire continued to threaten Altadena and Pasadena, they gave food to people who had to leave their homes and thanked first responders.
The dry weather and strong Southern California Santa Ana winds worsened these fires. They are some of the worst in the state’s history. Damage estimates so far run from $52 billion to $57 billion. The Palisades Fire has burned over 20,000 acres and is only 8% controlled. The Eaton Fire is only 3% contained. At least 11 people have died in this accident.
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This situation shows how vulnerable Los Angeles communities are to natural disasters and how powerful it is to work together to deal with tragedies like these. As efforts to contain the outbreak continue, the entertainment industry’s response is just one part of how the community deals with an ongoing emergency that has had a huge effect on Los Angeles County.
