In an emotional return to late-night television, host Jimmy Kimmel captured both the devastation and resilience of Los Angeles as unprecedented wildfires continue to ravage multiple areas.
“Many of us had to leave our homes in a hurry; some of our co-workers lost their homes. It’s been terrible,” Kimmel told his audience Monday night, his voice breaking. “Everyone who lives in this city knows someone — most of us, multiple people; family, friends, colleagues, neighbors — whose houses have burned down.”
The late-night host, who sheltered 19 people and four dogs in his own home, embodied the spirit of mutual aid emerging amid catastrophe. “It’s been a sickening, shocking, awful experience but it’s also been, in a lot of ways, a beautiful experience because once again we see our fellow men and women coming together to support each other, people who lost their own homes are out volunteering in parking lots for others who lost theirs.”
That support has become critical as the fires have claimed 24 lives and destroyed over 12,000 structures, with AccuWeather estimating damages could reach $275 billion. The devastation hits particularly hard in historic communities like Altadena, where resident Elic Mahone warns that displacement threatens the area’s character: “Altadena was one of the first communities where a Black family could get through the red tape and buy properties. That’s why it’s one of the most diverse communities in California, for that to change is concerning.”
As President-elect Trump attempts to weaponize the disaster, claiming on social media that the fires represent “one of the worst catastrophes in the history of our Country” while blaming “incompetent” Democratic leaders, Kimmel pushed back: “Tonight, I don’t want to get into all the vile and irresponsible and stupid things our future president and his gaggle of scumbags chose to say during our darkest and most terrifying hour.”
With about 100,000 Angelenos under evacuation orders, Patricia McIlreavy, president of the Center for Disaster Philanthropy, stresses the need for sustained support: “Access to a kitchen, access to being able to prepare your own meal, to feed your children with food, and in a way, and in a time that you choose, that’s about dignity, that’s about agency.”
“This is a nightmare I want to wake up from. It’s like a war zone here,” said Nic Arnzen, vice chair of the Altadena Town Council and 25-year resident, who fled last Tuesday with his family. “You think about waving at your neighbor and walking down your street. But, now, in just a span of 24 hours, all of that. … It’s just overwhelming.”
Yet amid the darkness, stories of resilience emerge. As Keni Davis, a 40-year Altadena resident who lost his home, declared: “I’ve never seen anything like that. I saw maybe 10 houses standing out of the maybe 100 I walked past.” Still, he remains committed: “We want to preserve—that beautiful Black community.”
The path forward remains daunting but not hopeless. Kimmel’s emotional tribute suggests that the spirit of mutual aid that has quickly emerged from all corners offers hope that the parts of Los Angeles that aren’t usually in the national zeitgeist can rebuild while preserving its unique social fabric. The fires may have scarred the landscape, but they’ve also revealed the deep wells of compassion that bind (and rebuild) communities together.
Published: Jan 15, 2025 04:05 am