January 10, 2025
Bozoma Saint John, Jhené Aiko, Grieve After Homes Burn In Los Angeles Mass Fire
Pacific Palisades residents are facing an "unimaginable loss" after wildfire burned their homes
Celebrities are grieving the loss of their homes and personal possessions in the aftermath of the extreme wildfires that swept through Los Angeles neighborhoods and forced residents to evacuate.
Real Housewives of Beverly Hills (RHOBH) star Bozoma “Boz” Saint John is asking for prayers for her and her daughter Lael after the fire destroyed the home Saint John says she prayed and “worked in blood, sweat and tears for.” Saint John gave Instagram followers a glimpse into the beach home she fought for after a battle with racist neighbors. The reality star said she purchased the home “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.” Dreams for Saint John to share the house with her family and friends and spend her time how she wanted, are on now on hold as the former chief marketing officer of Netflix faces what she called an “unimaginable loss.”
Singer Jhené Aiko sent prayers up for everyone in the area on Jan. 9, when she shared that her home was destroyed in the wildfires.
“Me and my children’s home is gone,” Aiko shared on Instagram, adding that her home “burned to the ground” with all of their belongings inside.
“Lord have mercy,” she added, thankful to still have her family. The singer said her “heart is so heavy” after facing the damage that has forced her family to start from scratch. “God bless us ALL,” she captioned her post.
According to Forbes, other celebrities who own homes in the area include Vice President Kamala Harris, rapper Kid Cudi, and the family of Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard. The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning due to the extreme weather conditions which left at least five dead and forced over 130,000 evacuations. AP News noted that over 30 square miles and over 5,300 structures across the Pacific Palisades burned. The fire has been reported as the “most destructive” in the history of Los Angeles. Northwest of the Pacific Palisades, residents responded to evacuation orders from the Los Angeles Fire Department on Thursday after the Kenneth Fire erupted near West Hills. The new fire follows Wednesday’s Sunset Fire and Tuesday night’s Hurst Fire in Sylmar.
Tina Knowles shared a heartfelt message for those who lost their homes in the wildfires. On Instagram, she shared a video of a water view as she looked out from her Malibu bungalow. What she described as her “favorite place, my sanctuary, my sacred Happy Place” is now gone due to the disaster.
President Joe Biden committed to covering 100% of costs for fire management and debris removal, according to Governor Gavin Newsom. The funding will cover costs for 180 days. As previously mentioned by BLACK ENTERPRISE, Airbnb is offering free housing for residents of Altadena, Malibu, Pacific Palisades, Pasadena, Santa Monica, and Sylan who were forced to evacuate, or whose homes were lost in the fires.
As of now, several events, including the Critics Choice Awards and the NBA matchup between the Lakers and the Hornets have been rescheduled as California continues to face low humidity, strong winds, power outages, and water damages. The NFL wild-card playoff game between the Rams and the Minnesota Vikings was moved to Arizona.
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