Jimmy Kimmel Breaks Down In Tears Reacting To LA Wildfires: ‘We Don’t Even Know If It’s Over’ – News18

Last Updated:January 15, 2025, 00:57 IST

In an emotional moment, Jimmy Kimmel shared how his own family was affected by the fires, revealing that at one point, he had 19 people and four dogs staying with him.

Jimmy Kimmel choked up during his Monday night monologue as he addressed the ongoing wildfires ravaging Los Angeles. The talk show host, visibly emotional, described the terrifying events unfolding just a short distance from the set, on the iconic Hollywood Boulevard. “It’s been a very scary, very stressful, very strange week in L.A. where we work, where we live, where our kids go to school,” Kimmel began, expressing the shared sense of fear felt by those in the city.

He went on to explain how many people, including his own colleagues, had to evacuate their homes in haste. “Many of us had to leave our homes in a hurry; some of our co-workers lost their homes. It’s been terrible,” Kimmel said. “Everyone who lives in this city knows someone — most of us, multiple people; family, friends, colleagues, neighbors — whose houses have burned down.” With the fires still raging, the uncertainty of when the devastation would end was a palpable concern for everyone. “We don’t even know if it’s over. We had 100 mph winds fuelling this nightmare and as of tonight, winds are back,” Kimmel shared.

The host also acknowledged the unexpected outpouring of solidarity and kindness amidst the tragedy. “I think I speak for all of us when I say it’s been a sickening, shocking, awful experience but it’s also been, in a lot of ways, a beautiful experience because, once again, we see our fellow men and women coming together to support each other,” he said. “People who lost their own homes are out volunteering in parking lots for others who lost theirs.”

However, Kimmel didn’t shy away from addressing his frustration with President-elect Donald Trump’s response to the crisis. “Tonight I don’t want to get into all the vile and irresponsible and stupid things our future president and his gaggle of scumbags chose to say during our darkest and most terrifying hour,” Kimmel remarked. “The fact that he chose to attack our firefighters who are out there risking their lives on our behalf, it’s disgusting but not surprising.”

Instead, Kimmel chose to highlight the heroes of the situation — the first responders, firefighters, and volunteers from across the country. He gave special thanks to the firefighters who had flown in from other U.S. states, Mexico, and Canada, as well as local actors like Steve Guttenberg, who was lending a hand in the community. Kimmel also applauded efforts from his parent company, Disney, which donated $15 million to the cause, and urged viewers to support the relief efforts, including donating to LAFD.org.

In an emotional moment, Kimmel shared how his own family was affected by the fires, revealing that at one point, he had 19 people and four dogs staying with him. “It’s hard to decide what to take when you have to leave your home in a split-second,” he said, adding that if he had to evacuate, he would grab his phone to use the Watch Duty app, an essential tool for tracking fire activity.

Location :

Los Angeles, United States of America (USA)