At least 24 fatalities have been confirmed due to the fires, and many more individuals are currently unaccounted for in what Governor Gavin Newsom has described as ‘one of the worst natural disasters in US history’.
Currently, three active fires are burning in Palisades, Easton, and Hurst. With more strong winds expected, firefighters caution that the crisis is far from resolved.
Los Angeles, home to many Hollywood celebrities, has seen numerous A-listers contributing to the response to the tragedy. Paris Hilton committed $100,000 to an emergency fund despite losing her own Malibu residence to the fire, while Snoop Dogg transformed his clothing store in Inglewood into a donation point for those in need.
Now, the ‘Crazy in Love’ singer from Texas has joined the initiative, donating an impressive $2.5 million to the LA fires relief fund.
Beyoncé and her husband, Jay-Z, own several properties in LA, including an $88 million mansion in Bel Air and a $200 million ‘mega mansion’ in Malibu.
The singer’s charity, BeyGOOD, established in 2013 to support various causes, announced on Tuesday morning that it had initiated its own relief fund to assist families impacted by the fires.
The charity stated that the funds will be directed towards helping families in Altadena and Pasadena.
In an Instagram post, BeyGOOD announced: “Los Angeles we stand with you. BeyGOOD is taking action by announcing the LA Fire Relief Fund with a donation of 2.5 million dollars.
“The fund is earmarked to aid families in the Altadena/Pasadena area who lost their homes, and to churches and community centers to address the immediate needs of those affected by the wildfires. To show your support for the impacted families and to learn more about BeyGOOD’s mission, please visit https://beygood.org.”
Fans took to Twitter to applaud the 43-year-old artist for her apparent ‘wonderful’ generosity as one wrote: ‘generous queen opening her bag’ while another commented that she is a ‘real good person’.
A third added: “Say what you want about Beyoncé and [her] team, they’re doing amazing things that can save American lives.”
“Queen Bey making moves not just on stage but in real life too”, a fourth remarked, “2.5M to LA fire relief, this is what true impact looks like!”
Others noted that the pop star is ‘doing more than the government’ with $2.5 million serving as a ‘lifeline to countless families’.
Another individual wrote on Instagram, seemingly critiquing Mandy Moore: “And she didn’t go online begging fans for their money. She took it out her own pockets. Queen behavior.”
Moore encountered significant backlash last week after she shared a fundraiser to aid her family members who lost their home in the fires.
BeyGOOD’s website highlights the charity’s support for numerous causes over the last decade, including assistance for those affected by the devastating Haiti earthquake, the Flint Water Crisis, mental health support during the Covid pandemic, and Florida hurricane relief.