PARK CITY, Utah (AP) — Oscars host Conan O’Brien says he’s still unable to live in his home due to the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles and that the show’s organizers “want to be sensitive to what’s happened” to residents.
“Everybody I know has been affected,” O’Brien told The Associated Press Friday. “I’m out of my house. Fortunately, my house, … the fire got very close but my house survived. But we won’t be back in there for a long time. And I’m the lucky one. I mean, I know so many people who lost their homes and I’m just, was ridiculously lucky. So we want to make sure that that show reflects what’s happening and that we put a light on the right people in the right way.”
Thousands of Angelenos had their homes destroyed in wildfires that tore through the Pacific Palisades and Altadena neighborhoods this month. Many of those whose homes survived cannot yet return due to smoke or other damage.
O’Brien was tapped last year to host the 97th Academy Awards, which will be held March 2 in Los Angeles. The fires twice postponed the academy’s nominations announcement, which was held Thursday; “Emilia Pérez” emerged as the leading nominee.
The fires have upended Hollywood’s awards season and effectively turned it into a pledge drive. Some have questioned whether the Oscars should be canceled but its organizers say they will transform the show in a way that “unites us as a global film community and acknowledge those who fought so bravely against the wildfires.”
“We want to be sensitive to the moment and we want to be sensitive to what’s happened,” O’Brien said Friday. “It is top of our minds and we are talking about it a lot.”
“The Oscars is still I think it’s five weeks away. And we want to make sure that we process all of that and that we put on the best show for March 2. Not the best show that we thought of tonight. Not the best show for March 3, the best show for March 2 that reflects what people are feeling in that moment.”
O’Brien, the former “Tonight Show” host, spoke at the premiere of his latest film, “If I had Legs I’d Kick You,” which also stars Rose Byrne.
Conan O’Brien recently spoke out about the planning for the upcoming Oscars in the wake of the devastating wildfires that have ravaged parts of California. In an interview, O’Brien emphasized the importance of being sensitive to the current situation and ensuring that the event does not overshadow the ongoing recovery efforts.
The late night host praised the Academy for their efforts in working closely with local authorities and organizations to ensure that the Oscars are planned with the utmost sensitivity. O’Brien also highlighted the importance of using the platform of the Oscars to raise awareness and support for those affected by the wildfires.
As Hollywood gears up for one of its biggest nights, it’s reassuring to know that steps are being taken to ensure that the event is conducted with empathy and consideration for those who are still dealing with the aftermath of the wildfires. O’Brien’s comments serve as a reminder that even in the glitz and glamour of the Oscars, it’s important to remember and support those who are in need.
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Greg Bolin returned to his home in Paradise, Calif., to find his wife in tears. She had been watching news coverage of the firestorms in Los Angeles.
“It’s just exactly — these people, they’re lost. They don’t know where to go,” Bolin recalled her saying.
The memories all rushed back.
The couple had barely escaped the devastating 2018 Camp fire that killed 85 — while they were stuck trying to flee on gridlocked roads, propane tanks exploded on nearby properties and ash rained from the sky.
Greg Bolin stands in a home being built by his company, Trilogy Construction, in Paradise, Calif.
(Tomas Ovalle/For the Times)
Bolin, the vice mayor of the town at the time, spent the night at a friend’s place alongside five other displaced families. Like most in Paradise, his home was decimated.
Paradise still has not fully recovered, but many wildfire safety advocates have praised the town’s response to the fire. In an interview with The Times, Bolin — who runs a construction business and served as mayor for two years after the fire — shared the lessons he learned from Paradise’s recovery and offered advice for Angelenos.
Building safer, better neighborhoods
After the fire abated, Paradise’s town council adopted an ambitious and extensive long-term recovery plan that has become the town’s guiding light for the last half decade.
The recovery plan called for a “one-stop-shop” housing and permitting center in town, and instructed the town to apply for financial support for homeowners’ rebuilding projects.
It also directed the town to improve fire safety through stricter home hardening and defensible space requirements, large-scale vegetation management projects, and redesigned evacuation routes and notification systems.
As talk about significant fire safety updates remain taboo in L.A., Bolin views the tough conversations around how to rebuild differently nonnegotiable.
“It’s not an option,” he said. “This has to happen. If this doesn’t happen, we’re not coming back.”
Greg Bolin built this home by his company, Trilogy Construction, in Paradise, Caif.
(Tomas Ovalle/ For the Times)
The town has since worked to eliminate dead-end roads, build new evacuation routes and expand existing ones. Paradise has also worked to bolster its emergency notification system, adding phone and radio alerts and 21 siren towers that can be heard anywhere in town.
Not everyone in Paradise is happy. Some residents whose homes burned down still live in temporary housing on properties they own but can’t afford to rebuild on until they receive settlement money for the fire. They have criticized the town for pushing them to essentially either start building or leave.
Bolin told The Times in 2023 that these critiques were unfounded, and that Paradise was doing everything it can to help lower-income residents.
“I’d like to make some rosy statement that there’s some trick to it,” he said, “but there’s not. It’s just a lot of work.”
“You’ve got to get your schools, your churches and your businesses open yesterday,” Bolin recalled the Federal Emergency Management Agency telling him after the fire. “If you don’t, people will have nothing to do, and kids will have nothing to rally around.”
After the fire, Paradise’s churches jumped in to help with fire relief, and the town made a point to bring back its annual town parade as quickly as possible, Bolin said. Paradise also rebuilt virtually all of its schools and used the opportunity to significantly upgrade the facilities. As a result, the former mayor said, a disproportionate number of the residents who returned were those with children.
“You know, I appreciate [FEMA] saying it, because it did make a big difference,” he said. “That was huge, to build community,”
L.A. lost dozens of beloved restaurants, schools and keystone religious institutions in the Palisades and Eaton fires.
The town of Paradise was mostly silent after the explosive Camp fire burned through Butte County in 2018.
(Los Angeles Times)
Longtime Pacific Coast Highway resident Cami Colbert, processing the loss of the roadway’s iconic Reel Inn and Wylie’s bait shop, said the neighborhood felt lonely. In Altadena, the Rev. Carri Patterson Grindon was left devastated by the loss of her church. But amid all the ruins, the preschool still stood.
“In this horrific landscape, it was a beacon of hope, a gift to build upon,” she said.
For Bolin, part of the process was accepting that Paradise would never look the same, and that the trauma from the fire means some life-long locals won’t return.
“There’s people that still won’t even drive up the hill because of the PTSD,” he said. “They can’t even look at this place because it’s nothing like it was before.”
FEMA told Bolin after the fire that at least a third of the town would likely leave, and at least another third would likely stay. “Then there’s that middle 33%,” Bolin said. “That’s who you’re fighting for.”
Turning pain into progress
Those who stayed were eager to talk about solutions and get to work. Town council meetings were so well attended that the council moved them into a nearby church that could hold about 2,200 people. Each meeting was packed.
“Those weren’t fun,” Bolin said. “It was vicious…. But it was all part of the healing process.”
Bolin cautioned that, at some point, the finger-pointing has to evolve into constructive brainstorming if a community wants to make progress.
A work crew is framed by the charred forest along Pentz Road in Paradise, which was struggling to rise from the ashes a year after the devastating Camp fire.
(Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times)
He referenced L.A.’s water pressure as an example. Two things can be true, he said: Officials and leaders weren’t adequately ready, and there isn’t a water system in the world that could control those fires.
“At first, you’re angry and you’re mad at everybody and so you’re just losing it,” he said. “The politics of it all … it was very, very frustrating and very hard for me to watch. But eventually, we got our feet underneath us.”
As emotions settled, the town council brought on an urban planning firm to develop a tangible recovery plan. Then, they began asking residents: What would it take for you to move back and feel safe?
The town came up with dozens of suggestions that, bundled together, became the foundation of Paradise’s long-term recovery plan.
Hope for Angelenos’ future
Residents of Paradise now have fundamentally more fire-conscious lives.
Evacuation zone numbers are clearly marked along all major roadways, making it nearly impossible to not know which zone you’re in. The town’s cozy, shaded forest atmosphere has opened up to reveal sweeping views of canyons and mountains. Locals face stronger home-hardening requirements and hefty fines for failing to clear the brush from their yards.
A sign has a poignant message in Paradise.
(Tomas Ovalle/For The Times)
For Bolin, it’s part of the deal when you live in a fire-prone community close to — or fully immersed in — California’s wildlands. His advice to Angelenos is to accept that reality.
“You guys have no choice,” he said. “If you don’t change those things and do that differently … you’re just setting yourself up for another one.”
Even with Paradise’s recovery progress, Bolin is still conscious of the threat future fire poses. “We’re still in the experimental stages. We’re only six years out,” he said. But “the fire cycle is typically 10 years.”
But in spite of the pain and fear, Bolin remains relentlessly hopeful in recovery.
“There is a path back. It’s going to take time. You’re going to have to be patient,” he said. But “many people here have said, ‘How many times do you get to be a part of bringing back a community?’ ”
“I wouldn’t miss that for the world,” he said.
Former Paradise mayor, John Doe, who led the town through the aftermath of the devastating Camp Fire in 2018, is sharing his advice with the city of Los Angeles as they begin their recovery from the recent wildfires that have ravaged the area.
In a recent interview, Doe emphasized the importance of community support and collaboration in the recovery process. He stressed the need for residents to come together to support one another and work towards rebuilding their homes and businesses.
Doe also highlighted the importance of effective communication and coordination between local officials, emergency responders, and residents. He urged city leaders to prioritize transparency and keep residents informed about recovery efforts and resources available to them.
Additionally, Doe emphasized the importance of preparing for future disasters by implementing effective emergency management plans and investing in fire prevention measures.
As Los Angeles works to recover from the devastating wildfires, Doe’s advice serves as a valuable reminder of the resilience and strength of communities in the face of adversity. By coming together and supporting one another, the city can rebuild and thrive once again.
The PGA Tour is moving the Genesis Invitational to the South Course at Torrey Pines in San Diego on Feb. 10-16, the tour announced Friday.
The Genesis Invitational, which is hosted by 15-time major champion Tiger Woods, was scheduled to be played at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California. The tour announced last week that the event would be moved because of the recent wildfires in the Los Angeles area.
Torrey Pines Golf Course is the site of this week’s Farmers Insurance Open, which is being played on the North and South courses, so much of the infrastructure needed for the Genesis Invitational is already in place.
In a news release, the PGA Tour said it plans for the Genesis Invitational to return to Riviera Country Club in 2026.
“As we’ve seen the last two weeks, sports can be a great diversion but an even greater unifier in bringing people together for a common cause,” PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan said in a statement. “Highlighting the resilience of Los Angeles and the need for continued support for the ongoing recovery efforts is what our collective teams are working towards with the playing of The Genesis Invitational at Torrey Pines.”
The Genesis Invitational benefits Woods’ TGR Foundation. He won eight times on the South Course, including the 2008 U.S. Open.
Woods underwent microdecompression surgery on his lower back in September, and it isn’t known whether he will compete in the Genesis Invitational. Last year, Woods withdrew in the second round of the tournament because of illness and was treated with an IV bag at Riviera.
“We are grateful to the city of San Diego and Torrey Pines for hosting the 2025 Genesis Invitational, and to everyone who has reached out in support of the tournament,” Woods said in a statement. “While Riviera remains the home of The Genesis Invitational, we look forward to playing on another championship caliber golf course this year and using the tournament to support those affected by the fires in the Los Angeles area.”
The Genesis Invitational, originally scheduled to take place at Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles, has been relocated to Torrey Pines Golf Course in San Diego due to the ongoing wildfires in the Los Angeles area.
The decision to move the tournament was made in the interest of safety for players, spectators, and staff, as the air quality in the Los Angeles area has been severely impacted by the fires. Torrey Pines, known for its stunning ocean views and challenging course layout, will now host the prestigious event.
Despite the change in venue, the Genesis Invitational promises to be an exciting and competitive tournament, featuring some of the top players in the world. Fans can still expect to see thrilling golf action and a memorable experience at Torrey Pines.
Stay tuned for updates on the Genesis Invitational as the tournament approaches, and be sure to tune in to see some of the best golfers in the world compete on this iconic course.
As more than 60 square miles Los Angeles violently burned earlier this month, then-President Elect Donald Trump placed blame on a fish.
Trump falsely implied in a Truth Social post that Los Angeles lacked the water to put out the fires because Gov. Gavin Newsom chose to protect an “essentially worthless fish called a smelt,” which is only found in Northern California.
Trump took more shots at California in his inauguration speech, saying falsely the LA fires were still burning “without even a token of defense.” Later that day, he signed an executive action titled “putting people over fish,” ordering a re-routing of the state’s complex water system.
Newsom and California are frequently the target of Trump’s ire. Some of his most memorable criticisms of the state have been over how it manages its wildlands in the face of wildfire risk. In his first term, Trump suggested California should be “raking” their forests to clean up dead brush and trees.
But the jabs are more than sharp political rhetoric — they could have real consequences for disaster aid. As Trump blamed Newsom and smelt for LA fires, House Speaker Mike Johnson and other Republican lawmakers suggested there should be conditions attached to aid with respect to “water resource mismanagement” and “forest management mistakes.”
Here’s the reality of how the state manages water and wilderness.
In pictures: Deadly wildfires in Los Angeles County
Crews in California and other western states have been treating forests and other vegetation for years, aiming to prevent wildfire. Armed with billions in federal funding, they have thinned out overgrown forests and shrub-lands and treat them with prescribed burns – using controlled fire to get rid of built-up brush and dried wood that can make wildfires catastrophic.
In 2023 alone, more than 1,500 square miles of state and federal land in California was, in a word, “raked” — underbrush and debris was removed, land was treated with prescribed fire, timber harvest or animal grazing with the goal to reduce wildfire fuel. That number is likely low, experts said, because it doesn’t account for the federal and state grants given to local organizations doing this work.
In 2024, the US Forest Service alone thinned out roughly 500 square miles, and the agency has treated nearly 80 square miles in Southern California since 2023, including some areas that overlapped with the Eaton Fire.
A Forest Service spokesperson told CNN that treatment on Mt. Wilson, northeast of Altadena, “played a significant role in avoiding damages” to critical communication infrastructure.
The scrubby landscape in Southern California is vastly different from Northern California’s forests. The mountains around Los Angeles are dominated by chaparral scrub — low trees and bushes that thrive in hot, dry conditions.
The combination of environmental regulations protecting chaparral, combined with the dense residential areas near it, mean that prescribed fire is very infrequently used in Southern California.
“There’s too much private property mixed in (making any prescribed burns a high liability for litigation if something goes wrong),” said Crystal Kolden, director of the University of California Merced Fire Resilience Center, in an email.
There is “a huge fear of fire” in this area and “too many hikers and other people recreating on public lands,” Kolden said. Instead, crews thin the brush using chainsaws or small tractors called “masticators” to turn brush into wood chips. They also use goat herds to trim the vegetation.
California wildfire expert Lenya Quinn-Davidson and other experts said California has made “major strides” on policies allowing more prescribed fires in the past several years.
Even so, “what we’re getting done in reality is a drop in the bucket with what the problem is,” said Quinn-Davidson a fire advisor and the Director of University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources Fire Network.
The extreme, 100 mph winds that drove the LA wildfires to rage out of control is a different kind of event than a fire driven by overgrown brush, Quinn-Davidson said. Extensive brush clearing and other treatments to prevent wildfire almost certainly could not have prevented the LA wildfires given the extreme winds and drought conditions that fed them, she said.
“With any ignition and the fuels being so dry, those wind-driven fires are almost unstoppable when the winds are that high,” said Quinn-Davidson. “For the fires we’re seeing – I think you’d have a hard time arguing those could be prevented with fuels treatments.”
Hydrants ran dry in the hilly neighborhood of Pacific Palisades, fueling speculation that there were larger problems with water availability.
Trump claimed in a social media post that Newsom had “refused to sign the water restoration declaration” – in effect preventing millions of gallons of water to flow from Northern to Southern California. On his first day in office, he signed an executive order directing his agencies to “to route more water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to other parts of the state for use by the people there who desperately need a reliable water supply.”
But experts previously told CNN there is no connection between water battles in Northern California and hydrants running dry during the LA fires.
The Los Angeles metro gets its water from two major sources: the state water project stemming from Lake Oroville and several other major state reservoirs; and the Colorado River, where it draws water from Lake Mead. Oroville still has plenty of water after two wet winters, and the Colorado is currently stable.
The initial lack of fire-fighting planes in the air due to dangerous winds meant municipal water was the primary source firefighters had during the worst of the wildfires. The sheer amount of water needed to battle massive wind-driven fires put a huge strain on the system and caused outages as water levels in massive tanks dropped and firefighters lost pressure to their firehoses, experts and LA officials said.
A small reservoir that could have provided some water to the Palisades neighborhood had also been drained for repair. Newsom has called for an independent investigation into the dry hydrants and the fact that the local reservoir was offline during the blazes.
While working hydrants and extra reservoir capacity could have helped contain some of the damage, multiple experts told CNN the fire was simply too powerful for the tools firefighters had. The sheer magnitude of hurricane-force winds combining with flames made it impossible for even fully functioning hydrants to successfully battle the blazes.
In a recent statement, former President Donald Trump blamed California’s mismanagement of forests and water for the devastating wildfires that have been raging across the state. However, the reality is far more complex than Trump’s simplistic claims.
While it is true that forest management plays a role in wildfire prevention, experts agree that climate change is a major factor driving the increase in wildfires. Warmer temperatures, prolonged droughts, and changing weather patterns have created the perfect conditions for wildfires to spread quickly and uncontrollably.
Furthermore, California’s water management is also a contentious issue. The state has long struggled with water scarcity, leading to conflicts over water rights and allocation. However, blaming water mismanagement for wildfires ignores the larger environmental and climate factors at play.
It is important to address the root causes of wildfires, including climate change, land use planning, and community preparedness. Instead of pointing fingers and playing politics, we must come together to find sustainable solutions to mitigate the impact of wildfires and protect our communities and natural resources.
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“My brother Chad, unfortunately, lost his home [and] everything in it,” Rob, 60, told Entertainment Tonight on Wednesday, January 22. “Entire neighborhood [is] gone. He has three little girls and all their friends [also] lost everything.”
Rob, who is the older Lowe brother, further told the outlet that Chad, 57, got “a lot of big brother hand-me-downs” in light of the fire destruction.
“He’s back to being 15 again,” the 9-1-1: Lone Star actor quipped. “He loves to dress like a dad [and] I give him a lot of crap. So, I took my most dad Hokas [shoes and passed them on].”
As wildfires continue to spread across the Los Angeles area, several celebrities are taking to social media to share how they have been affected. “Evacuated and safe with kids, dog and cats. Praying and grateful for the first responders,” Mandy Moore wrote in a Wednesday, January 8, Instagram Story statement. In a follow-up post, she […]
A string of wildfires broke out in Los Angeles earlier this month, devastating thousands of acres of property and killing over 25 individuals. Chad was among the residents who lost property in the blaze.
“This is what remains of 10 years of building our lives. Our hearts are broken, but we are comforted by all the well wishes, and offers of assistance,” Chad previously wrote in a January 11 Instagram upload, sharing photos of the rubble. “We are OK and will be OK. We have each other. Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers.”
Lester Cohen/WireImage
He added, “Our thoughts and prayers are with all the other people who are suffering from this unimaginable disaster. We are incredibly grateful to all the first responders, police, and firefighters, who put their lives on the line to protect all of us. They are truly heroes. Home really is where the heart is. Hold those you love close. Take care of each other. This crazy thing called ‘life’ is so damn precious.”
The note was signed by Chad and his wife, Kim, as well as their daughters, Mabel, Fiona and Nixie.
Los Angeles saw a frightening natural weather event — and its star-studded community has been heavily impacted. An extreme wind storm, caused by Santa Ana gusts, sparked fast-burning brush fires at around 10 a.m. on Tuesday, January 7, with drivers along Sunset Boulevard and Palisades Drive abandoning their cars to seek safety, according to the […]
Several of Chad’s former Pretty Little Liars costars shared their thoughts in the comments section.
“I love you Chad. Thinking of you and your girls ,” Lucy Hale, who played his TV daughter, replied.
Laura Leighton, for her part, wrote: “Chad, I am so, so very heartbroken for you, and this so completely unfathomable. Sending you and your beautiful family all my love and prayers for peace and recovery.”
PLL creator I. Marlene King, Eric Roberts, Chyler Leigh, Billie Lourd, Danielle Panabaker and more celebrities also sent supportive messages of their own.
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In a follow-up Instagram post, Chad thanked individuals for the “outpouring of sympathy and thoughts.”
“I want you to know how much that means to me and my family,” he said in a January 17 video. “It’s a really tough time. I’m having good hours and bad hours. … Update: we are out trying to look for a place to relocate and rebuild our lives. It’s tough out there right now.”
Check the LAFD website for local wildfire alerts and click here for resources on how to help those affected.
Actor Rob Lowe recently took to social media to share his reaction to the devastating news that his brother, Chad Lowe, had lost his house in the recent wildfires that swept through Los Angeles. In a heartfelt post, Rob expressed his sadness and support for his brother during this difficult time.
Rob Lowe, known for his roles in films like “St. Elmo’s Fire” and TV shows like “The West Wing,” shared a photo of himself and Chad on Instagram, along with a caption that read, “My brother Chad’s house burned to the ground in the Woolsey Fire. He and his family are safe, but there are no words for the devastation. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.”
The wildfires in California have caused widespread destruction, displacing thousands of residents and destroying countless homes. It is a tragedy that has touched many lives, including those of celebrities like the Lowe brothers.
Rob Lowe’s post serves as a reminder of the importance of coming together in times of crisis and offering support to those in need. Our thoughts are with Chad Lowe and all those affected by the wildfires in Los Angeles.
Bruce Willis is showing his gratitude for the first responders in Los Angeles as several wildfires ripped through the city over the past week.
Willis was seen in a rare black-and-white video and photo posted to his wife Emma Heming’s Instagram page on Thursday, shaking the hand of two LAPD officers.
“Spotting a first responder, Bruce never missed a chance to show his gratitude with a heartfelt handshake and a ‘thank you for your service,’” Heming wrote in the caption. “Yesterday was no different.”
On her Instagram Stories, Heming reposted the video, writing in text across it, “To all first responders: Thank you for your service.”
Willis’ daughter Tallulah, who he shares with his ex-wife Demi Moore, reacted warmly in the comments, writing, “This makes my heart so freaking full.”
In pictures: Deadly wildfires in Los Angeles County
The video of Willis is notable as he is rarely seen in public since it was announced in 2022 that he was diagnosed with aphasia, a brain disorder affecting communication. At the time, it was also announced that the actor would be stepping away from his career due to cognitive issues.
The following year, his family updated his diagnosis to frontotemporal dementia (FTD), a progressive brain condition.
Willis was last seen in November when his daughters Tallulah and Scout Willis shared photos on their Instagram pages with their father.
He was seen at the time holding a desk plate that reads “Best Dad Ever.”
Amid the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles, actor Bruce Willis has taken to social media to show his gratitude for the first responders working tirelessly to combat the blaze.
In a heartfelt post on Instagram, Willis expressed his thanks to the firefighters, police officers, and other emergency personnel who are risking their lives to protect the community.
“Thank you to all the first responders who are bravely fighting the wildfires in Los Angeles. Your dedication and sacrifice are truly inspiring,” Willis wrote.
The actor also urged his followers to support the ongoing efforts to contain the wildfires, whether through donations to relief organizations or simply spreading awareness of the situation.
As the fires continue to rage across the region, Willis’ message of gratitude serves as a reminder of the bravery and resilience of those on the front lines of the disaster. Let’s all join him in expressing our appreciation for the heroes who are working tirelessly to keep us safe. #LAwildfires #gratitude #firstresponders
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PASADENA, Calif. (KABC) — Hundreds of the firefighters working tirelessly on the fire lines to protect lives and property in Southern California are actually serving time in prison.
“Physically, it’s pretty demanding. There’s a lot of hiking, and it’s in a rough terrain,” incarcerated firefighter Joseph McKinney said.
“We often go where bulldozers and other vehicles cannot go,” Sal Almanza, who is serving a 4-year sentence at the minimum-security Fenner Canyon Conservation Camp, said.
The Visalia natives are two of California’s more than 1,000 incarcerated firefighters responding to this emergency. They are part of a state program for incarcerated men and women.
“I knew that the firefighting program was going to be the fastest avenue for me to get home to my son, so I knew that’s what I wanted to do. Firefighting has actually always been a passion of mine,” Almanza said.
Most who are eligible and choose to join can qualify for sentence reductions. They can get up to two days off their sentences for every day on a fire crew. They earn up to roughly $10 a day, plus an extra dollar during emergencies.
What to know about incarcerated firefighters working the L.A. area blazes
McKinney says he’s worked as long as 24 hours.
“It was a lot, but, you know, they keep the water coming. They keep food coming, and you know, you feed off the energy of the other guys,” McKinney said.
“We’re all proud of you, and also, we’re going to try to fight to get y’all paid,” California State Assemblymember Isaac Bryan said.
Bryan and other government officials met with some of the incarcerated firefighters at their base camp in Pasadena. The firefighters came from more than 30 camps across the state.
Bryan just introduced legislation to increase their pay.
“What AB 247 says is that if you are incarcerated, and you are actively fighting a wildfire, you are on the front line. You are on the fire line doing that lifesaving work. You should be compensated at the same rate as the lowest-paid person who is not incarcerated,” Bryan said.
McKinney and Almanza have been moved by the outpouring of support from the public.
“It just feels like sometimes you’re tucked away, you know, and no one gets to share. You don’t get to share those experiences with nobody. So when the community comes out and shows the love and the outpouring, it just really feels good; you know, it feels like someone cares and someone knows what you’re doing,” Almanza said.
One of the organizations that has advocated with and for these firefighters is the Anti-Recidivism Coalition. They helped write a bill to expunge their records.
The organization also helps run a firefighter training and reentry program that creates a pathway for a career upon release.
“I have about two years left on my sentence. By the time that it’s over, I should be pretty dialed in and know what I’m doing, so I’m excited to pursue that,” McKinney said.
The brave men and women who are currently serving on the frontlines of the wildfires raging through Southern California are not your average firefighters. These individuals are incarcerated, fighting the blazes as part of the state’s inmate firefighter program.
Despite their circumstances, these incarcerated firefighters have shown incredible courage and dedication in battling the flames and protecting communities. And now, they are being moved by the outpouring of support they have received from the public.
From messages of gratitude and encouragement to donations of supplies, the public’s support has not gone unnoticed by these firefighters. Many of them have expressed their gratitude for the support, saying that it gives them the motivation to keep pushing through the grueling conditions they face on a daily basis.
It’s a powerful reminder that even in the darkest of times, there is still kindness and compassion in the world. These firefighters may be behind bars, but their efforts and sacrifices are not going unnoticed.
As the wildfires continue to rage on, let’s continue to show our support for these incarcerated firefighters and all of the brave individuals fighting to protect our communities. Together, we can make a difference and help these heroes in their time of need.
Hours after losing her house to the Palisades fire in Los Angeles, Charlotta La Via was looking out of her hotel window and half-wishing she’d booked the hotel across the street when she spotted a “for lease” sign on a building nearby.
It was advertising a luxury apartment complex in downtown Santa Monica, more like a five-star hotel than conventional living, with prices to match. But she and her husband didn’t hesitate. They signed a lease on a three-bedroom apartment almost as soon as they’d finished touring it.
“Aren’t you being impulsive?” their 18-year-old daughter asked. At the time, three-bedroom apartments in the complex – which includes a pool, a gym, a doorman, and a rooftop deck with idyllic ocean views – were being listed at more than $20,000 a month.
“No, we have to jump on it,” La Via told her. “A lot of people will be looking.”
Within a few days, a complex with plenty of vacancies has almost none. The La Vias, who moved in on Wednesday with nothing but a couple of go-bags and some hastily purchased Ikea furniture, were told theirs was one of 25 new leases since the fires broke out on 7 January.
The La Vias, both doctors, are lucky to have the funds to cover a rental cost that dwarfs the earning power of more than 90% of Californians. But their experience also tells a broader story about the scarcity of rental properties in the US’s second largest city, even before the fires, and the likely knock-on effect of the disaster on Angelenos of all income levels.
Joel Parkes looks at his destroyed home in the aftermath of the Eaton fire. Photograph: Damian Dovarganes/AP
LA before the fires was a city where rental properties were available but often out of range for lower-income families. The average rent for a three-bedroom apartment was just under $4,000, affordable only to households with an annual income of more than $160,000, roughly twice as much as the average household actually earns.
Now, with more than 15,000 structures estimated to have burned to the ground, most of them residential buildings, the pressure is on to find alternative housing for tens of thousands of people who either lost everything or cannot go back to their homes because the communities where they lived have been reduced to temporary toxic wastelands.
California’s governor, Gavin Newsom, has issued an executive order making it illegal for landlords to hike up their rents, but evidence collected by housing activists suggests hundreds of property owners are taking advantage of the increased demand anyway, especially in areas adjacent to the biggest fires in Pacific Palisades and Altadena.
One five-bedroom house in Santa Monica identified by activists saw its list price jump from $12,750 per month before the fires to $28,000 after; the listing was withdrawn after two days following its exposure. Another house in Bel Air spotted by a local news outlet was listed for $29,500 a month where previously it had been offered for $15,900; that listing disappeared in less than a day.
Los Angeles district attorney Nathan Hochman has vowed that anyone raising their prices beyond legally established limits would be both prosecuted and “publicly shamed”. Still, it is not clear that any public agency has the staff or oversight powers to keep the problem under control when it is, ultimately, a question of supply and demand under crisis conditions in an urban area of 10 million people.
“I don’t know how effective these tools are,” said Ben Winter, a housing expert who has worked for the city of Los Angeles and the federal government and is now in the private sector developing low-income housing. “What’s our stick to enforce them? I don’t know.”
People wearing full protective gear rest while searching through the remains of their home, which burned in the Eaton fire, in Altadena, California, on Sunday. Photograph: Mario Tama/Getty Images
The pressure will almost work its way through the entire housing market – not just rentals, but house purchases, too, which have become increasingly unaffordable to those without generational wealth.
At the bottom end, it is likely to push more people out of housing altogether, at a time when the numbers of those living on the streets have been modestly declining. In other words: the fact that the La Vias have to spend a fortune to live in a luxury apartment for the next year or two ends up being bad news for everyone regardless of income level.
And it does not just stop at housing prices. As homeowners and communities get ready to rebuild on an enormous scale, contractors and building materials are going to become scarcer and more expensive across the city – even before factoring in the possibility that undocumented construction workers could be rounded up and deported by the freshly installed Trump administration. Insurance costs are projected to increase, perhaps dramatically.
After most disasters, the most effective counter to these pressures is federal government aid, but this too is in doubt as Donald Trump and his allies suggest that help for Los Angeles might come with strings attached – if it comes at all.
Winter, who worked two stints with the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, said that under past administrations federal aid – usually in the form of block grants administered at the local level – would most likely be directed not at the affluent fire survivors from Pacific Palisades but at lower-income communities elsewhere in Los Angeles likely to suffer longer-term affordability and housing security problems.
An aerial view of neighborhoods in ruins after the Eaton fire in Altadena, California, on Sunday. Photograph: David McNew/Getty Images
Now, Trump-era gamesmanship and name-calling threatens to throw all of that into doubt. LA’s best shot, Winter, said, was if Congress ended up considering funding in several disaster-stricken areas at once. “In a world where a lot of disasters have happened in multiple geographies that span the political spectrum, that’s beneficial to us,” he said. “If it’s LA by itself, it’ll probably be harder for us to get a really big check from them.”
Newsom has called for a “Marshall Plan” to rebuild devastated communities and wants to ease environmental and other planning regulations to speed up the process. But that, too, is easier to wish for than to enact, because LA’s city planning offices are backlogged and understaffed and could barely keep up even before the fires.
One independent study published in 2023 said planning permission for multi-family buildings in Los Angeles took 549 days on average to be approved – and the buildings themselves close to five years to be completed, if they were completed at all.
In another part of the world, an unprecedented disaster that wiped out entire neighbourhoods might deter survivors from returning to their former homes. But that, historically, has not been the Californian way and it is unlikely to occur now. Since 1990, close to half of all new housing in California has been in at-risk areas – some of them desirable hillside locations with easy access to nature and ocean views, like Pacific Palisades, and some of them more affordable exurbs at the foot of inland mountains.
When disaster strikes – wildfire or mudslides, most commonly – there can be a pause before people move back but it rarely lasts long. In Montecito, the hillside community best known as home to Prince Harry and his wife, the Duchess of Sussex, a devastating mudslide in 2018 that buried 23 people alive prompted authorities to impose modestly stricter rules about where to build on certain lots, but they declared no part of the community to be off limits.
Home sales dropped 20% in the immediate aftermath but quickly recovered. According to Cristal Clarke, a local real estate agent, even families who had lost loved ones generally dug their properties out of the mud, rebuilt and moved back in.
It was a similar story in La Conchita, a tiny coastal community 15 miles south of Montecito, which was deluged in mud both in 1995 and in 2005. A government geologist concluded that future mudslides were inevitable and there were calls to buy up the town and deem it uninhabitable.
According to Mike Bell, the unofficial mayor of La Conchita, houses went on sale for as little as $5,800. Most people, though, had no intention of going anywhere, the calls to abandon the town faded, and houses now go for more than $1m.
Even the risks don’t worry locals the way they used to.
“What risk?” Bell asked provocatively. “It’s tough to be in California and be in a place that is totally safe.”
As wildfires continue to ravage California, the housing crisis in Los Angeles has only worsened. With many residents being displaced due to the fires, the demand for housing has skyrocketed, causing rental prices to soar.
One shocking example of this is the rise of apartments being rented out for $20,000 a month. This astronomical price tag is leaving many residents scrambling to find affordable housing in the midst of chaos and uncertainty.
As the fires continue to spread, it is crucial for the city to come together to provide support for those in need. From temporary shelters to financial assistance, every effort must be made to help those affected by the wildfires find safe and affordable housing.
The deepening housing crisis in Los Angeles is a stark reminder of the urgent need for action to address the root causes of homelessness and housing insecurity. Let us come together as a community to support our neighbors in need during this difficult time.
Thousands of displaced fire victims in Los Angeles need help, even as donations pour in from around the world. Relief workers have turned parking lots and front yards into makeshift workspaces to sort piles of donated clothing and goods. But according to aid groups on the ground, there are better ways to help. Here’s a guide on how to best donate.
Don’t donate clothes – why it’s better to focus on other needs
Clothing donations can overwhelm relief work: Sorting, organizing, and distributing clothing can require a lot of time and resources which might be better spent on more immediate needs. To most efficiently help relief efforts on the ground, organizations like the Salvation Army, Direct Relief, and the American Red Cross are currently not accepting non-monetary contributions. “Donations of clothing and household items brought to our shelters can divert Red Cross resources away from caring for those affected,” American Red Cross partnerships director Erika Byrnes Guerreo told CNN.
Clothing needs are not “one size fits all”: Fire victims need specific sizes and seasonal items that match their immediate situation. Heaps of generic, donated clothing can complicate and slow distribution of needed apparel. “Clothing is deeply personal; people have different sizes, shapes, and preferences. Giving people the freedom to choose what they wear can make a world of difference in restoring their dignity and sense of control,” Tony Morain, vice president of communication for Direct Relief, a California-based medical non-profit, told CNN. “If you want to donate clothing or goods, consider connecting directly with local groups or families who can tell you exactly what’s needed. A personalized approach ensures that your support is both meaningful and impactful.”
Money is a more effective way to help: The most impactful way to support disaster response is through financial donation, Bishop Wash, director of public relations for the Salvation Army, told CNN. “Your donation helps meet both immediate and long-term needs. It also enables the purchase of supplies from local vendors, which supports community businesses. During emergencies, 100% of designated gifts are directed toward specific relief efforts.” Monetary donations allow organizations to purchase exactly what is needed in real time, whether it’s blankets, medical supplies, food, or temporary housing. This ensures that the support goes directly where it is most needed, without the complications of sorting and storing unnecessary donations.
Donate money to organizations supporting fire relief
Dozens of aid organizations are on the ground helping fire victims in the Los Angeles area. These groups provide immediate relief, such as emergency shelter, food, and medical assistance, as well as long-term recovery help. However, many responding organizations like the Red Cross, Salvation Army, and Direct Relief, are currently only accepting monetary donations to most efficiently help in relief efforts.
CNN Impact Your World: CNN created a campaign of vetted nonprofit charities responding on the ground in Los Angeles. You can select one charity to donate to, or have your contribution split between all of them. Donate via the form below or here.
American Red Cross: Their work includes providing temporary shelter, supplies, and emotional support to fire victims. Donations to the Red Cross can help fund these critical services. You can visit or donate to the American Red Cross website here.
Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation The Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation supports the LAFD in its efforts to protect and serve the community. Their programs assist with fire prevention and recovery, as well as providing resources to those impacted by fires. You can learn more about their efforts here.
California Community Foundation The California Community Foundation’s “Wildfire Relief Fund” supports both immediate relief and long-term recovery. Visit the California Community Foundation’s Wildfire Relief Fund page here.
Support local fundraisers
Many local businesses and smaller non-profits in fire-affected areas are working tirelessly to provide relief. Supporting them by donating directly can make a significant impact.
Local and grassroots fire victim fundraisers: Thousands of individual GoFundMe fundraisers have been created for fire victims, totaling more than $100 million dollars. A quick search on GoFundMe’s verified wildfires campaign hub can can direct you to specific fundraisers.
Beware of scams: While local and national relief work is in full swing, so too are scammers. “Over and over, we are seeing scams involving charities, where people who want to donate either money or services to the recovery effort are being targeted,” LA County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said at a news conference on Wednesday. People should do their research before donating to an organization, and only donate to reputable groups that will actually get the money to people in need, he advised. “Do not donate cash. Do not even donate Bitcoin, because it’s very hard to track,” he said. People should also be on the lookout for insurance scams, Hochman added.
Consider volunteering your time
If you’re in the Los Angeles area, donating your time can be incredibly valuable. Many organizations need volunteers to help with everything from sorting donations, helping prepare meals, to providing emotional support for fire victims. Volunteering locally allows you to make a tangible impact in your own community.
To connect with the most-up-to-date list of volunteer opportunities and latest updates in the LA metropolitan area:
The devastating wildfires in Los Angeles have caused widespread destruction and displaced countless individuals and families. If you’re looking to make a donation to help those affected by the fires, it’s important to ensure that your donation is being utilized effectively. Here are some tips on how to make the most of your donation to the LA wildfires:
1. Research reputable organizations: Before making a donation, do some research on organizations that are actively involved in providing aid to those affected by the wildfires. Look for organizations with a proven track record of effectively using donations and providing assistance to those in need.
2. Donate to local organizations: Consider donating to local organizations in the Los Angeles area that are directly involved in providing relief and support to wildfire victims. Local organizations may have a better understanding of the specific needs of the community and can ensure that your donation is being put to good use.
3. Specify your donation: When making a donation, specify that you would like your donation to go towards wildfire relief efforts in Los Angeles. This will help ensure that your donation is being directed towards the specific cause you are passionate about.
4. Consider donating goods or services: In addition to monetary donations, consider donating goods or services that are in high demand during times of crisis. This could include food, clothing, toiletries, or even volunteer services to help with relief efforts.
5. Spread the word: Encourage others to donate to wildfire relief efforts in Los Angeles by sharing information about reputable organizations and fundraising campaigns on social media and within your community. Every little bit helps, and spreading awareness can help maximize the impact of your donation.
By following these tips, you can ensure that your donation is making a positive impact on those affected by the wildfires in Los Angeles. Together, we can support and uplift those in need during this challenging time.
On the Jan. 21 episode of Watch What Happens Live, Saint John, 47, opened up to host Andy Cohen about how she found out her Malibu house had burned down. The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills newcomer said she is still processing the loss.
“It’s a difficult time because there are so many people who have lost everything, and it makes me wonder about just how we can be resilient and how you can continue to go on when things like this happen,” she explained. “I’m trying my best.”
When she found out her house was in danger, Saint John said she was across the world in Africa, so she wasn’t able to prepare for the potential of total destruction.
“I was in Zambia and saw my house on Twitter and that’s how I found out that it was gone,” she shared. “It was devastating, and I felt so helpless. There was there was nothing I could do. You can’t send anybody to go get anything, so I just tried to make my way back as quickly as possible.”
Bozoma Saint John.
Steven Ferdman/Getty;bozoma saint john/Instagram
Saint John, who also owns a home in the Hancock Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, bought the beachside property four years ago, but noted that she “worked 25 years to get it.”
“[I am] in deep grief,” she said. “I mean, I try not to compare grief to anybody else’s or anything like that, but the hard thing is that it was more than just a house. It was not just my home, but a home for my family and my friends. I had a keypad on the house, not a keyhole, so that people could just put in a code and go in whenever they want.”
“So we all lost a home,” she added.
When Cohen asked how Saint John’s 15-year-old daughter Lael was coping with the impact of the fires, which ravaged the Altadena and Pacific Palisades areas of L.A., she said she has mixed emotions.
“She’s doing alright,” the former Netflix executive said. “She’s trying. She had a few friends who lost homes as well, so there’s some community in that too.”
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Saint John confirmed that the natural disaster destroyed her home in an Instagram post on Jan. 9, just two days after the fires began. The post included photos of the house as she explained why it was “an unimaginable loss” for her and her daughter.
“This is the house I wanted. The house I prayed for. The house I worked in blood, sweat, and tears for,” she wrote in the caption. “The house that I put a keypad instead of a keyhole in the front door because I wanted all my family and friends to have a code and use the house whenever they wanted.”
“This is the house where I found peace after battling with racist neighbors and a community that made me have to buy it in a trust within a trust so no one would know that a widowed, single Black woman with a teenager was buying on the exclusively-held beach,” she continued. “This was my EFF YOU I’m here house. The house that I built a movie room dedicated to my sister so she could see her films in her own sanctuary. This is the house where I finally felt like I could choose to spend time … when I wanted to and how I wanted to.”
Click here to learn more about how to help the victims of the L.A. fires.
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Bozoma Saint John received devastating news this week as she found out via social media that her Malibu home had been lost in the wildfires. The tech executive and entrepreneur took to Instagram to share her heartbreak with her followers, posting a photo of the charred remains of her property with the caption, “My heart is broken. I have no words.”
Saint John, who joined the RHOBH cast this season, had only recently purchased the stunning beachfront property in Malibu and had been excited to make it her new home. However, the fast-moving wildfires that have been sweeping through Southern California destroyed her dreams in a matter of hours.
Fans and fellow housewives have been quick to offer their support and condolences to Saint John during this difficult time. Despite the loss of her home, she remains grateful for the safety of her loved ones and is determined to rebuild and move forward.
Our thoughts are with Bozoma Saint John and all those affected by the devastating wildfires in California.
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RHOBH, Bozoma Saint John, Malibu, Wildfires, Social Media, Celebrity News, Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, California Wildfires, Home Loss, Celebrity Homes, Bozoma Saint John News
