The Wildfires

It’s been almost a week since the wildfires started burning in Los Angeles County. As all of America knows, these have been the most catastrophic fires in California History. My heart aches for those who have been affected by this tragedy. My company (DIRECTV) has a large presence in Los Angeles with several offices and thousands of team members. Some of my team have been affected and/or displaced by the fires. With over 25 million people in Southern California, Chances are you know someone who was affected. Americans are hurting, and they need our help. I have decided to get involved and make a financial donation. Here are a few reasons why…

The Millionaires

There has been a lot of talk on television about the “Rich and famous” who lost their multimillion-dollar mansions. Think about this though. Many (If not most) of the homes in Pacific Palisades were multi-generational homes. These homes technically were worth millions of dollars, but many of the homeowners in this region only live there because they inherited these homes and/or were living multi-generationally because real estate is completely unaffordable for the average family. Did mega rich people lose their homes? yes.? So did thousands of middle income Americans who were just trying to get by in a tough economy. Hundreds of apartment complexes are gone, and with an average occupancy of 100 per complex the renters in this area were the most affected of the fires.

The Insurance

After the 2018 Camp Fire devastated California, insurance companies started to pull back on insurance to homeowners and some companies left the state completely. In 2022 State Farm and Allstate began to stop writing homeowners policies in the Los Angeles County area due to their concerns about exposure to wildfire. “IF” you could get a policy written, you most likely did not have fire insurance. “IF” you could get a fire provision on your policy, it would cost you in the neighborhood of $42,000 annually. Unfortunately, many of the previously mentioned multi-generational households just could not afford the insurance and now have lost everything with no financial recourse.

The Businesses

Houses were not the only structures lost in the fires.? Commercial buildings, businesses, warehouses, Restaurants, retail spaces were also devastated. There are Americans who live in this area saying prayers of gratitude because their homes were spared from the fires only to find out they are now unemployed because their business (or place of business) is gone. Thousands of small businesses are now gone. 92% of all businesses in Los Angeles County are locally owned, and the loss of this revenue will devastate the california economy for years to come.

The Material Things

As millions of people evacuated in their cars with (literally) the clothes on their backs they found themselves stuck in traffic as the fires loomed. As they left on foot for shelter, those cars were either burned to the ground or later pushed to the side of the road by heavy equipment to open the roads to EMS and Firefighting personnel. Tens of thousands of Californians have lost their homes and all their personal belongings, including their primary mode of transportation. These people literally lost everything they own with less than an hours notice.

The Blame Game

There are pundits everywhere on TV and the internet trying to point blame and/or assign responsibility for the fires and the ensuing response effort. Though I agree it is important to know the facts (Everything should be made public) right now my focus is on those who are affected. Is knowing who's responsible going to help feed, care for and shelter my fellow Americans? I don't think so. My focus is on how I can help, not who's at fault...

Three Years

Los Angeles County officials mentioned that it could take up to three years for the average property owner to have their home rebuilt on the site where it burned to the ground due to permitting, labor shortages, building supply shortages, etc. That is, if you can even afford to rebuild. This is a disaster that will take years to recover from. People are going to need help for years to come.

The Donations

I have decided to donate to help those affected. I work hard for the money I earn, and I am not going to give it to charity that does not use those funds wisely. I have decided to donate to the DIRECTV CARES foundation within my company through our DIRECTV Employee Relief Fund. 100% of the money I donate will go directly to my team who have been affected by the California Wildfires. My donation is tax deductible, and my company matched the donation as well.

If you care for your team as much as I care for mine and you are Southern California based, I urge you to donate to a charity within your company if you have the opportunity. Try to use a charity that will help the people you love and care about. If you are looking for a charity to donate through, I recommend you use Charity Navigator to make your decision. Please choose wisely.

MOST IMPORTANTLY

Don’t get “Flim-Flammed” by fake charities. Don’t donate to a charity through your smartphone just because you received a text. Do your research, and make sure you know exactly where your hard earned money will go before you separate from it.

The people of California need our help. They are hurting. So many have lost everything, including hope. It’s going to take years for Los Angeles to recover, and many have been permanently displaced without the means to rebuild their lives and replace what they have lost. This is a time for America to come together and support our friends and family in California.

To learn more about John and the work he does for DIRECTV please click HERE.

For more information about DIRECTV's residential offerings please click HERE. To see how DIRECTV could help your business increase revenue or provide a value added service to your customers or employees please click HERE.? Interested in FREE DIRECTV, click HERE. If either of these links don't provide you with the information you are looking for, reach out to me directly and I will personally put you in touch with someone who can help.

The views expressed in this blog post reflect the experiences and opinions of the author only and are not meant to be any official correspondence from DIRECTV, its Dealers, affiliates or any related entities. Copyright John Mac's Travels 2025