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A MILLIONAIRE has been slammed for asking if any private firefighters were available to protect his home as devastating wildfires ravaged Los Angeles.
Keith Wasserman, an LA-based real estate developer, swiftly deleted a post in which he requested private firefighters to come to his Pacific Palisades home.
“Does anyone have access to private firefighters to protect our home in Pacific Palisades?” he asked in a viral post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“Need to act fast here. All neighbors’ houses burning. Will pay any amount. Thank you.”
The post was made on Wednesday, as flames were ravaging the dry hills in the north of Los Angeles County.
But Wasserman’s post was met with swift condemnation, with many branding him tone-deaf.
It comes as…
- Five people have died as uncontrolled wildfires engulf Los Angeles
- At least 179,000 have been evacuated and schools have closed
- Nearly 400,000 homes are left without power as over 2,000 buildings destroyed and 30,000 acres burned
- Firefighters are “maxed out” and reportedly running out of water
- Harrowing footage shows the city up in flames
- Celebrity homes have been torched, including A-listers like Paris Hilton, Billy Crystal, and Anthony Hopkins
- Joe Biden slammed for announcing granddaughter’s baby news during LA fire presser
“The disconnect is jaw-dropping,” one X user wrote. “Just wow.”
Another user shared a tweet purportedly made by Wasserman in October 2021 in which he bragged “Real estate ballers don’t pay any taxes!”
The user wrote, “This rich guy Keith Wasserman bragged about not paying taxes and now wants private firefighters to protect his home while neighbors’ homes burn.”
Another previous post Wasserman reportedly made in September 2024, in which he called on President-elect Donald Trump to halve “property taxes” also went viral.
Wasserman responded to his critics by branding them “trolls,” posting, “Mama I’m going viral!”
The story has brought to attention the phenomenon of private firefighters, which have been in use across Los Angeles for some time.
On Wednesday, video was shared on X of private firefighters guarding a house in the Hollywood Hills.
“They’ve set up sprinklers to cascade water from the second story eaves,” wrote San Francisco Chronicle investigative reporter Matthias Gafni as he shared the video.
“They will guard all night.”
Most destructive California wildfires
California has been home to dozens of devastating wildfires, including four currently burning in January 2025 that have left over 1,000 structures ruined. Here are the five most destructive wildfires in state history:
- 1. Camp Fire – Butte County, 2018
- Destroying more than 18,000 structures, the Camp Fire is widely known as the most destructive in California state history. Over 153,000 acres were burned and 86 people died.
- 2. Tubbs Fire – Napa County and Sonoma County, 2017
- This October 2017 fire burned more than 5,600 structures and left 36,807 acres charred. Twenty-two people died.
- 3. Tunnel Fire – Alameda County, 1991
- Another October blaze, the Tunnel Fire, destroyed 2,900 structures and burned 1,600 acres in 1991. Twenty-five people died.
- 4. Cedar Fire – San Diego County, 2003
- Nearly 2,900 structures were ruined and a staggering 273,246 acres were burned in this blaze that killed 15 people.
- 5. Valley Fire – Lake, Napa, & Sonoma Counties, 2015
- Four people died in this September 2015 blaze that destroyed nearly 2,000 structures and left 76,067 acres charred.
Source: KABC
Wasserman subsequently deleted his account following the backlash, which saw his original post rake in close to 1 million views.
Before deleting his account, he also pointed out that he and his family had already evacuated their home.
More than 30,000 Californians have been forced to flee since the massive wildfire tore through the Los Angeles area.
At least five people have died as powerful Santa Ana winds quickly fanned the flames.
A-listers like Paris Hilton, John Goodman, Miles Teller, Anthony Hopkins, and Billy Crystal have seen their homes reduced to smoldering rubble.
