 "Firefighters work to clear a firebreak as the Palisades Fire burns in Mandeville Canyon, California, US. Reuters")
Los Angeles has been facing a series of devastating wildfires that have claimed at least 24 lives and destroyed more than 12,000 structures throughout the city.
Now, several millionaires and wealthy residents have started hiring private firefighters - a move that comes with a hefty price tag.
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With public fire departments stretched to their limits, this decision by some of the city’s wealthiest residents has caused a massive controversy.
Fire and fury
Keith Wasserman, co-founder of the real estate investment firm Gelt Venture Partners, sparked outrage with a post on X, where he sought “private firefighters” to protect his property in the exclusive Pacific Palisades neighbourhood.
Keith’s post on Friday read: “Does anyone have access to private firefighters to protect our home in Pacific Palisades?
“Need to act fast here. All neighbours’ houses burning. Will pay any amount. Thank you.”
Social media users criticised Keith, calling his plea for help “incredibly tone deaf.”
Billionaire developer and former mayoral candidate Rick Caruso has also faced backlash after reports surfaced that he hired private fire crews to protect his properties in Palisades Village.
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Caruso confirmed deploying a team of private firefighters on Tuesday night to protect his retail spaces in Pacific Palisades, claiming that water availability was limited, The New York Times reported. This caused anger among many people, who accused him of exploiting scarce water resources while residents struggled to save their homes and lives. Some online users even demanded an investigation into the matter.
Since 2022, strict water conservation rules have restricted residents to watering their gardens twice a week for eight minutes per session.
In the same year, Kim Kardashian, who lives in a $60 million mansion in The Oaks - a gated community near one of this week’s wildfire hotspots - was fined by city authorities for exceeding her water allocation by 232,000 gallons. Other celebrities, including Sylvester Stallone and Kevin Hart, were also penalised, The Sun said in a report.
Private fire crews are reportedly hired to defend luxury properties from advancing wildfires. Chris Dunn, owner of a private security firm, said that there has been a surge in demand for such services during the crisis.
“My phone has been ringing off the hook. Demand has never been higher,” Dunn told the Daily Mail.
His company, Covered 6, offers fire protection services and safety training to high-profile clients, including Hollywood elites.
Despite the criticism, some people said that celebrities have the right to seek private protection if the city is unable to safeguard its residents properly.
How much are they paying the private firefighters?
Private fire protection companies, which often teams up with state and local governments to combat wildfires, are now offering exclusive “on-call” services. These firms arrive equipped with water supplies, trucks, hoses, fire-retardant chemicals, and industrial-grade gear to protect properties.
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However, their services come at a steep price. According to the Daily Mail, some companies charge as much as $2,000 per hour.
To protect their properties, the ultra-wealthy in Hollywood is hiring these costly private crews, who deploy pink flame-retardant chemicals to defend homes.
Tim Bauer, senior vice president at Allied Disaster Defense, told CNN that after three days of fires in Pacific Palisades, his company had a waiting list of over 200 desperate clients.
During non-emergency periods, Bauer’s services cost $1,000, but during dangerous wildfire conditions, he charges $5,000, the media outlet reported.
Private firefighters say that their work fills a crucial gap as public fire crews struggle with understaffing and the increasing frequency of devastating fires driven by climate change, according to Slate Magazine.
ProPublica reported that in 2023, California’s National Forest Service wildland firefighting team faced a 35% vacancy rate, partly due to low wages for government positions.
Los Angeles fires: How much do the firefighters earn?
Hundreds of incarcerated individuals are among those fighting the wildfires rapidly spreading across southern California.
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) told The Guardian that it had deployed 783 imprisoned firefighters to help combat multiple blazes fuelled by strong winds and dry conditions.
These incarcerated crews work alongside the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire), which employs nearly 2,000 firefighters stretched thin by simultaneous emergencies.
According to the CDCR, incarcerated fire crew members earn between $5.80 and $10.24 per day based on skill level, with an additional $1 per hour for active emergency assignments.
During emergencies, crews often work 24-hour shifts followed by 24 hours of rest. This means a low-skilled firefighter might earn $26.90, while the highest-skilled could earn around $34 for a full day’s work, according to the UK daily.
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For comparison, California’s minimum wage stands at $16.50 per hour, with some areas like West Hollywood offering even higher rates. However, incarcerated workers in California are not guaranteed the state minimum wage and can earn as little as 16 cents per hour.
‘They get paid almost nothing’: Kim Kardashian
Reality TV star Kim Kardashian recently faced criticism for promoting the winter sale of her SKIMS clothing line amid ongoing wildfires. However, she has now shifted the focus to the low wages earned by incarcerated firefighters.
On Sunday, Kim shared a heartfelt post on her Instagram Stories:
“I have spent the last week watching my city burning. And I have seen and spoken to many firefighters who are up all night long using every ounce of their strength to save our community. Of all the 5 fires in Los Angeles, there are hundreds of incarcerated firefighters, risking their lives to save us. They are on the Palisades Fire and Eaton Fire in Pasadena working 24-hour shifts.”
“They get paid almost nothing, risk their lives, some have died, to prove to the community that they have changed and are now first responders. I see them as heroes. The incarcerated firefighters have been paid $1/hour to risk their lives, and this pay has been the same since 1984. It has never been raised with inflation. It’s never been raised when fires got worse and many died. This year there was an agreement to raise the incarcerated firefighter pay to $5/hour, but it got shot down last minute,” she added.
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Death toll in California wildfires reaches 24
Fire crews worked tirelessly on Sunday to gain ground against devastating wildfires that have killed 24 people and destroyed thousands of homes in the Los Angeles area. Weather forecasts warned of the return of strong winds, increasing the risk in the coming days.
Authorities reported at least 16 people were missing, a figure expected to increase as rescue operations continue.
The Los Angeles County coroner’s office confirmed that eight deaths were linked to the Palisades Fire, while 16 deaths resulted from the Eaton Fire.
With inputs from agencies