Los Angeles, CA – FireAid, the high-profile benefit concert that raised an estimated $100 million for victims of the January 2025 Los Angeles wildfires, is facing increasing scrutiny over the distribution of its funds and the transparency of its operations. Public figures, including reality television personality Spencer Pratt, who lost his home in the fires, have voiced strong concerns regarding where the substantial donations have been directed.
The controversy intensified following a tweet by Kevin Dalton, who alleged that FireAid had "memory holed Cal Volunteers from their website," implying a deliberate removal of information regarding the "California Volunteers" entity. This claim, accompanied by before-and-after screenshots, suggests a lack of transparency in FireAid's public disclosures. Dalton's tweet directly quoted Spencer Pratt, indicating Pratt's agreement with the assessment.
FireAid, managed by the Annenberg Foundation, announced two rounds of grants, distributing approximately $75 million to various non-profits. However, reports from outlets like Breitbart News and Not the Bee highlight that some recipients, such as the "California Volunteers Fund" (a non-profit entity separate from the state's "California Volunteers, Office of the Governor"), and the California Native Vote Project, have tenuous connections to direct fire relief. The governor's office has clarified that neither Governor Newsom nor the State of California received FireAid funding.
Spencer Pratt has been a vocal critic, directly challenging California Governor Gavin Newsom on the allocation of funds. Pratt, whose home was destroyed in the Palisades fire, stated in an Instagram video, "The second round of $50 million funding, guess who took a FireAid grant? Let me tell you… Gavin Newsom and his cow-volunteers office took a FireAid grant." Pratt's public statements reflect a broader frustration among some fire victims who report receiving no assistance despite the massive fundraising effort.
While FireAid stated that selected organizations possess the "infrastructure, experience, and relationships necessary to efficiently and equitably deliver assistance," the lack of clear pathways for individual victims to apply for aid has fueled public skepticism. The situation underscores ongoing questions about the accountability and oversight of large-scale disaster relief funds, particularly when managed by third-party foundations and distributed to a wide array of non-profit organizations.