My city. Our city.
- Jan 13, 2025
- 3 min read
I honestly have no words. In the past week, Los Angeles has faced multiple catastrophic wildfires, including the Palisades Fire, Eaton Fire, Sunset Fire, and Hurst Fire. Together, they have burned over 38,561 acres, destroyed more than 5,800 structures, and claimed at least 24 lives—making them the largest and most devastating fires in L.A.’s history to date.
The past few days have been harrowing. The things I’ve seen, the stories I’ve heard from close friends, the tears I’ve shed for people I don’t even know—it all weighs heavy. We’ve lost so much. These are the worst fires our City of Angels has ever experienced, many of which are still ongoing. They’ve left a sad imprint on my heart that I will carry forever.
As I write this, I am crying. While buildings are just buildings and belongings are just stuff, people’s lives, their hard work, and their memories are irreplaceable. The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) is responsible for protecting the nation’s second-largest metropolitan area. With over 3,500 firefighters spread across 106 neighborhood stations, covering 471 square miles, the LAFD responds to approximately 1,500 emergency calls every day—an emergency every 35 seconds. Despite this vast reach and critical mission, only 3% of the city’s fire budget is allocated for essential tools, equipment, and programs, leaving significant funding gaps that need to be bridged.
The Mission of the LAFD Foundation
Established in 2010, the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation is the official nonprofit partner of the LAFD. The Foundation’s mission is to provide vital equipment, fund critical programs, and enhance the Department’s ability to save lives and protect communities.
Gear for Every Firefighter
The LAFD Foundation ensures that every firefighter is equipped with the essential tools that keep them safe on the job, including:
New structure fire safety gloves
Carcinogen-blocking, flame-resistant hoods
Heavy-duty rescue flashlights
Specialized equipment such as wildland bulldozers, night-vision flight goggles, emergency fire shelters, thermal imaging cameras, drones, and swift-water rescue boats
Through private and corporate donations (and community partnerships), the Foundation has been able to provide these life-saving resources.
We are proud to stand behind this incredible organization, and we hope you will consider making a direct donation via the link HERE, or purchasing one of the t-shirts we’ve created on our homepage (net proceeds benefit the Foundation) in a show of support, sign of solidarity, and a nod of gratitude to the men & women who are risking their lives to save the place we all call home.
Angelenos, please be kind to each other. Together, we will rise.
Here are just 7 photos of some of the things we’ve lost:
VIEW POST
Pic 1: the Business Block in the Palisades - seen here sometime shortly after it was built in 1924. Photo from the Huntington Archives.
Pic 2: oh the times I had at @moonshadows_malibu. Here it back around 1950 when the site was the Big Rock Beach Cafe. Photo from the Huntington Archives.
Pic 3: the McNally House in Altadena - seen here ca. 1900. Built in 1887 for Andrew McNally who cofounded the Rand McNally publishing company. Photo from the USC Archives.
Pic 4: much of the Will Rogers Ranch has been destroyed - including the main ranch house (this photo is from 1935). Photo from the UCLA Archives.
Pic 5: the Topanga Ranch Motel where Topanga Canyon meets the ocean (seen here in 1933). @reelinnmalibu as well as the @rosenthalwines also sat on this original parcel and have both been destroyed in the fire as well. Photo from the UCLA Archives.
Pic 6: a 1920s aerial of Altadena - almost everything beyond Mountain View Cemetery (at center) has been destroyed. Photo from the Altadena Historical Society.
Pic 7: this aerial shows much of the Palisades back in 1932. It’s almost unfathomable to comprehend how much in this picture is now gone. Photo from the Water & Power Archives.
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