Kim Kardashian gets backlash after allegedly hiring $2,000 an hour private firefighters for LA home

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Kim Kardashian has come under scrutiny for hiring private firefighters to protect her Los Angeles home as wildfires continue to ravage the area.

The decision - which reportedly costs upwards of $2,000 an hour - has sparked debate about the inequities in disaster response, with critics highlighting how wealth provides access to resources unavailable to most.

This isn’t the first time Kardashian has relied on private fire crews. In 2018, during wildfires near her and Kanye West’s Calabasas home, she revealed on The Ellen Show that private firefighters not only saved her property but also helped safeguard her neighbours’ homes. Industry experts estimate such services can cost up to $10,000 a day for a 20-person team with trucks.

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Amid the backlash, Kardashian has used her platform to advocate for systemic reforms, particularly for incarcerated firefighters. In a recent Instagram post, she called for better pay and treatment for these individuals, who often risk their lives on the frontlines. “I have spent the last week watching my city burning,” she wrote. “On all five fires in Los Angeles, there are hundreds of incarcerated firefighters, risking their lives to save us.”

She described them as “heroes” and criticised their meagre compensation- just $10.24 per day during training and an additional $1 an hour when actively fighting fires. Recent policy changes have reduced the minimum daily wage for some incarcerated firefighters to as low as $5.80.

Kim Kardashian has come under scrutiny for hiring private firefighters to protect her Los Angeles home as wildfires continue to ravage the area.Kim Kardashian has come under scrutiny for hiring private firefighters to protect her Los Angeles home as wildfires continue to ravage the area.
Kim Kardashian has come under scrutiny for hiring private firefighters to protect her Los Angeles home as wildfires continue to ravage the area. | AFP via Getty Images

Kardashian has been vocal about justice reform since beginning her legal studies in 2019. Taking the unconventional “reading the law” route in California, she has partnered with organisations like #Cut50 to advocate for inmates facing unjust sentences. Her efforts include lobbying for systemic change and raising awareness of mass incarceration.

While Kardashian’s advocacy draws praise, her actions during the wildfires have also faced criticism. As residents evacuated, her brand, Skims, promoted a winter sale, prompting some to label the timing as “tone-deaf.” However, Skims has since partnered with the nonprofit Baby2Baby to donate clothing and essentials to families impacted by the fires. Kardashian has also encouraged her followers to support relief efforts and expressed gratitude to first responders.

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The Kardashians have made efforts to support the firefighting community. Kris Jenner shared that they provided meals to several fire stations, thanking those working tirelessly to protect lives and property.

Kylie and Kylie Jenner also posted to their Instagram stories saying that she had made a donation to the California fire foundation and wildlife fund. Meanwhile Khloe and Kourtney expressed their support and offered links for people to follow to offer help.

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