Katey Sagal calls LA fires ‘overwhelming time' as she joins Hollywood to raise over $1.6M in relief efforts

Yahoo

26-01-2025

As the California fires have devastated more than hundreds of thousands of residents, Hollywood actors have come together to raise millions for relief efforts.
"Married with Children" actress Katey Sagal, "Indiana Jones" star Ke Huy Quan and several other A-listers spoke with Fox News Digital about how they've been deeply impacted by the Los Angeles fires, as they raised more than $1.6 million through various charities.
Los Angeles native Sagal, 71, shared that the fires were "particularly personal" to her since she also attended Palisades High School growing up.
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"To see those neighborhoods come down was just unbelievably heartbreaking to me," she said during the LA Wildfire Relief LIVE event.
"A devastating time right now in our city… it's just an overwhelming time… all of us coming together to help… and to raise money… It's human spirit. It's what we do… it's the better part of humanity."
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Sagal's comments come after the Palisades Charter High School was previously engulfed in flames due to the wildfires raging in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles.The burned property, a popular location for Hollywood productions, was severely damaged by the wildfires around Jan. 7, the day the inferno broke out in the impacted areas.
The "8 Simple Rules" star continued to share how her home was affected by the fires.
"We live in Hollywood, and the fire was in my backyard when it started in the Hollywood area. They got it out pretty quick, but we were evacuated and house completely filled with smoke."Although she fortunately didn't lose her home, she explained how her family had to evacuate for approximately ten days.
WATCH: KATEY SAGAL CALLS LA FIRES 'OVERWHELMING TIME'
"We didn't lose our house and we didn't lose our family, our pets or nothing of real value. But we were scared, and we were terrified, as we were watching the news and seeing how quickly it was spreading."
She added it was difficult to compare her situation to others who experienced the inferno first hand in the Altadena and Palisades area, but she expressed the utmost gratitude.
The devastation from the California fires is a major part of why she wanted to help during the charity event, hosted at the Rosewood Residences in Beverly Hills.
Millions were donated through the Tiltify Impact Fund for LAFD Wildfire Emergency Fund, California Fire Foundation, World Central Kitchen, Baby2Baby, CORE (Community Organized Relief Effort). The broadcast was created and produced by Impact Agency WCPG, Tiltify, Real Good Touring and CMPS.The fundraising kicked off with a $500,000 match donation from Josh Brolin via the Brolin Family Foundation.
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WATCH: 'GOONIES' ACTOR COMPARES LA FIRES TO ICONIC MOVIE
Meanwhile, "Goonies" actor Quan, 53, called Los Angeles his "safe haven," as he resided in the area for more than 45 years.
The Oscar-winning actor admitted he and his wife "frantically packed" as they were forced to evacuate.
"It was at that moment that I realized how fragile everything can be. You can just lose your livelihood, your home, everything you own… just like that," Quan told Fox News Digital.
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"Luckily, thank God to the first responders and the firefighters. They are the true heroes of our city. They put out that fire very quickly. So, we were very fortunate. But I also know a lot of people who weren't as fortunate. And it's horrible. It's really heartbreaking to see."
Performances from celebrities including Jason Segel were featured during the charity event, as he said it's going to be a "long road" ahead until Los Angeles recovers from the tragic fires.
WATCH: JASON SEGEL SAYS 'LONG ROAD' FOR LOS ANGELES TO RECOVER FROM FIRES
The "How I Met Your Mother" actor additionally shared that he worked closely with CORE, Community Organized Relief Effort, for years.
CORE is a nonprofit organization that brings immediate aid and recovery to communities. It was founded by actor Sean Penn and Ann Lee.
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"We are doing distributions of materials. We are running the child-friendly space in the Pasadena shelter for those that are displaced," CORE co-founder Lee shared with Fox News Digital.
"We're also doing cash programming. We just supported 450 families with cash… all of this and today from our amazing supporters is helping us continue to support those families in need."
Meanwhile, Gov. Gavin Newsom thanked President Donald Trump on Friday for visiting Southern California to tour the devastation left by the fires this month.
Trump traveled to Southern California yesterday to see damage from the recent wildfires that destroyed thousands of acres and more than 10,000 buildings in the Los Angeles area and claimed the lives of nearly 30 people.
Fox News Digital's Brie Stimson and Aubrie Spady contributed to this report.Original article source: Katey Sagal calls LA fires 'overwhelming time' as she joins Hollywood to raise over $1.6M in relief efforts