CEO's home destroyed—had offered 'any money' for private fire protection
What's the story
The Palisades Fire, one of the many wildfires tearing through Los Angeles, has completely gutted a luxury home belonging to real estate executive Keith Wasserman. The property, worth over $3 million, is now marked "destroyed" on the Los Angeles County recovery website. Notably, Wasserman had previously drawn backlash over a now-deleted social media post where he offered to "pay any amount" for private fire protection.
Neighborhood destruction
Wasserman's entire block devastated by Palisades fire
The recovery website also shows that every single house on Wasserman's block in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood was burned down. The Los Angeles wildfires, which started on January 7, 2025, have taken at least 24 lives and left 16 missing till now. Over 12,000 structures have been razed by the fires, which have spread across an area larger than San Francisco, spanning 62 square miles.
Community support
LA sports teams pledge support amid wildfire devastation
In the wake of the widespread destruction, 12 Los Angeles professional sports teams have jointly pledged $8 million to help victims and support firefighting efforts. The teams, including the Lakers, Dodgers, and Rams, will contribute to organizations like the American Red Cross and the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation. They also plan to distribute $3 million worth of sports merchandise and essential supplies among evacuees.
Ongoing impact
Wildfires disrupt local events, investigation into cause continues
The wildfires have also severely disrupted local events. An NFL playoff game had to be moved and NBA games for the Lakers and Clippers were postponed due to the fires. The cause of these wildfires remains undetermined as officials continue their investigation into this disaster that has left communities across Los Angeles County devastated. So far, authorities have been unable to zero in on a single cause for the wildfires.