Leonardo DiCaprio announced he is making a $1 million donation toward operations helping firefighters battle the ongoing Los Angeles fires, and victims to bounce back in its aftermath.
‘The Los Angeles wildfires are devastating our city,’ the A-lister, 50, said Wednesday on Instagram Stories. ‘I am committing $1 million in partnership with @rewild’s Rapid Response Program to support both urgent needs and post-fire recovery efforts.’
The Los Angeles native listed a series of organizations that his donation was earmarked toward.
‘Initial aid will immediately benefit the LA Fire Department Foundation, California Fire Foundation, World Central Kitchen, California Community Foundation, Pasadena Humane Society and SoCal Fire Fund – organizations providing much-needed resources to our first responders and firefighters, and the people, animals and communities who need it most,’ DiCaprio said.
The Oscar-winning actor is the latest in a list of famous people who have gone into their own pockets to help amid the devastating wildfires.
Others who have stepped up with seven-figure pledges amid the trying times include Beyoncé, who donated $2.5 million to help people impacted by the Eaton Fire; while Jamie Lee Curtis and Eva Longoria made respective donations of $1 million amid the blazes.
Leonardo DiCaprio, 50, announced he is making a $1 million donation toward operations helping firefighters battle the ongoing LA Fires, and victims to bounce back in its aftermath. Pictured last year in LA
The LA native listed a series of organizations that his donation was earmarked toward
DiCaprio, who has headlined films such as The Revenant, The Wolf of Wall Street and Inception, also shared links to for his 60.8 million followers on the platform to donate to organizations such as LAFD Wildfire Emergency Fund and the California Fire Foundation.
The тιтanic leading man also made reference to his environmental organization Re:wild, saying its ‘Rapid Response Program is uniquely positioned to respond to environmental disasters and emergencies.’
More than a week into what could be the costliest wildfires in U.S. history, weary and anxious Los Angeles-area residents were hoping Wednesday for a favorable shift in the winds and an end to the constant fear that their lives might be further upended.
The blazes that began January 7 have destroyed thousands of homes and killed at least 25 people, with nearly 30 missing.
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The conflagrations fueled by dry Santa Ana winds have scorched at least 63 square miles of land, forcing thousands of people from their homes, stretching firefighting efforts thin, knocking out power to tens of thousands and making the water unsafe to drink in some areas. Investigators are still trying to determine what caused the fires.
Government agencies haven´t provided preliminary damage estimates yet, but AccuWeather, a company that provides data on weather and its impact, put the damage and economic losses at $250 billion to $275 billion.
Although the winds gained strength Wednesday and set the region on edge, there is hope on the horizon, with a shift in winds expected Friday.
Southern California´s winds typically flow onshore from the Pacific, carrying moist air onto land. The Santa Ana winds are warm currents that move in the opposite direction. They usually occur from September through May.
DiCaprio also shared links to for his 60.8 million followers on the platform to donate to organizations such as LAFD Wildfire Emergency Fund and the California Fire Foundation
A firefighting helicopter dropped water in the Hollywood Hills on January 8 in LA
The wind is expected to switch directions on Friday and blow from the coast to the desert, which would bring more moisture off the Pacific, National Weather Service meteorologist Todd Hall said.
Read More Hollywood stars whose homes have burned to the ground as devastating LA wildfires destroy California
Sewer, water and power infrastructure across the region has been significantly damaged, and several utilities have declared their drinking water unsafe until extensive testing can prove otherwise.
Toxic chemicals from the fires can get into damaged drinking water systems. Experts say filtering or boiling won´t help.
Los Angeles County has more than 200 water service providers, but so far only a handful believe that damage or loss of pressure may have resulted in chemical contamination and have issued do not drink notices.
Utilities are focused on ensuring there´s enough water for firefighting, though some are beginning to test for contaminants. It can take weeks or months of testing before water can be declared safe to drink.
More than 82,000 people from highly populated neighborhoods including Pacific Palisades, Altadena and others remained under evacuation orders Wednesday.
Another 90,400 people have been warned that they might have to evacuate. An overnight curfew remains in effect for evacuated areas, and violators have been arrested, authorities said.
Around 850 patients and residents of nursing homes, ᴀssisted living facilities and group homes were evacuated after the blazes last week, according to the California Department of Public Health.
A firefighter battled the Palisades Fire as it burned homes on Pacific Coast Highway January 8
Search and rescue crews inspected a mobile home park destroyed by the Palisades Fire Wednesday
Police officers on Wednesday inspected cars abandoned on Sunset Boulevard during the Palisades Fire
Los Angeles officials have been criticized for not deploying enough firefighters early in the crisis and for hydrants that ran dry as buildings were engulfed in flames.
Officials chose not to double the number of firefighters on duty last Tuesday as the winds whipped up, and the city had only five of more than 40 engines deployed, The Los Angeles Times reported. The department also didn’t call in off-duty firefighters until after the Palisades Fire erupted.
Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley defended her decisions, saying the department did ‘everything in our capability to surge where we could.’
President Joe Biden said the federal government would pay all of the firefighting and recovery costs in the first 180 days. But that doesn´t mean FEMA will cover 100 percent of individual families’ costs – the maximum amount FEMA can provide is $43,600, regional FEMA administrator Robert J. Fenton, Jr. said.
FEMA offers up to $770 to help cover the evacuees’ immediate needs, but its larger grants generally aren´t available until after insurance companies pay out.