Los Angeles Wildfires 2025

Pacific Palisades residents aren't leaving their neighborhood for good ... because well-connected real estate sources say many want to come back -- even though the recovery timeline for the community is up in the air.

TMZ spoke to more than 10 powerful L.A. real estate brokers working at major companies like The Agency, Compass, Sotheby's and Coldwell Banker ... and, the consensus is many of their clients who owned homes in the devastated neighborhoods have expressed interest in holding onto the land and rebuilding.

We're told many people who own land in the neighborhoods are "circling the wagons," preparing themselves for a long rebuild. They love the area, and they have no plans to leave ... no matter the hurdles in the coming months and years.

L.A. Fireaid is bringing out some of the big artists and providing a reason for some huge groups to link back up ... even Gwen Stefani and her old bandmates are getting back together once again!

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... No Doubt has just joined the already star-studded lineup for L.A. Fireaid on January 30.

As you know ... No Doubt dominated the pop charts throughout the 1990s and into the early 2000s -- but eventually went on several hiatuses while Gwen's career took off.

Ben Affleck was finally able to leave his Brentwood home and chill in the neighborhood with his son and a new dog ... after a dramatic start to the new year with wildfire scares -- and subsequent security issues in the area.

It seems Ben upped his personal security in the form of a four-legged pal ... and took the K-9 out for a relaxing stroll with his kiddo -- and men from Trident Elite Protection Dogs -- on Friday.

The outing marks a strong contrast for BA who initially fled his mansion ... then had to deal with one security issue after another just outside his front door in the wake of the massive, deadly Palisades fire.

Bill Maher is furious at folks who are lecturing Angelenos to stop blaming politicians for the devastating fires ... he says that exactly where a big part of the blame lies.

The 'Real Time' host delivered a scathing review of City and State politicians whom he says share the blame. Starting at the top, B.M. scoffs at Governor Gavin Newsom, who said local officials are trying to figure out why there was no water in many of the hydrants, and why 300 hydrants were out of service and not repaired. As Bill puts it, maybe they all should have figured that out before L.A. burned.

And don't get him started on the argument people make ... well, do you want your taxes raised? Maher notes he and others pay the State of Cali 13% of their income, so start re-prioritizing what's being spent.

Looting has been a major problem amid the massive destruction from the recent L.A. wildfires ... but firefighters were able to stop some suspects -- and it was caught on camera!

Firefighters were working a mostly destroyed Altadena neighborhood from the Eaton blaze on Thursday when they came across two people they suspected were up to no good ... and their hunch led to arrests.

In video obtained by Fox 11's Matthew Seerorff ... firefighters confront a female suspect carrying items out of a burned-down house, which included an Emmy and a Sharp Award with the rightful -- unidentified -- owner's name on them.

Tank says the Grammys are making the right call by pivoting in the wake of the L.A. wildfires.

We got the R&B star at LAX and he told our photog the Grammys are doing the right thing by focusing the award show on relief efforts and awareness.

Tank's a member of The Recording Academy and he's praising CEO Harvey Mason Jr. for turning the Grammys into a big fundraiser.

Vanessa Bryant is personally helping Los Angeles recover from the devastating wildfires, hitting up Dodger Stadium on Friday to pass out some Nikes to those in need.

Kobe Bryant's widow was seen at the ballpark in a red Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation sweatshirt ... helping Angelenos score some sneakers, socks and other essential items in the wake of the devastating blazes that began tearing through L.A. last week.

Vanessa appeared to be in great spirits as she passed out items ... flashing a big smile to all those who stopped by her setup.

Lil Baby is adding one of his biggest hits to his setlist for his upcoming gig at a benefit concert for folks who lost everything in the L.A. wildfires ... and there's a California connection.

Sources close to the rapper tell TMZ Hip Hop ... Lil Baby will perform his 2022 hit "California Breeze" at FireAid.

Lil Baby is the only hip-hop artist who has been booked for FireAid so far ... and he's currently got the No. 1 album in the country, "Wham" ... so he's a big addition.

The Weeknd is stepping up in a big way … dropping $1 million to support L.A. firefighters and residents caught in the chaos of the raging wildfires.

The singer is teaming up with his XO Humanitarian Fund and World Food Program USA … directing his donation to the LAFD Foundation, GoFundMe’s Wildfire Relief Fund, and the L.A. Regional Food Bank to bolster relief efforts.

This is just the latest move from The Weeknd amid the crisis … he also pulled the plug on his January 25 concert at the Rose Bowl.

Ben Affleck's block is a hotbed for all kinds of authority figures lately ... 'cause now the military is hanging outside his Westside L.A. home -- days after cops and FBI agents were seen around the house amid wildfires in the area.

The actor was photographed returning home Thursday ... and, parked just outside his house was a sand-colored military Humvee -- outfitted with a turret to mount a large machine gun if necessary.

Check out the pics ... Ben drives past like nothing's out of the ordinary -- even though a man in uniform is standing outside the vehicle in BA's affluent neighborhood.

Josh Altman is predicting at least half the people who lost their homes in the Pacific Palisades won't rebuild there ... but they won't be moving far.

We got the celebrity realtor on Robertson Blvd in Beverly Hills and our photog asked him about the vibe he's getting from displaced Angelenos who had their homes burned to the ground in the Palisades Fire.

Josh says it's becoming clear to him 50% of families are never moving back to the Palisades ... with lots of folks looking to start over in nearby areas Brentwood, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills and Bel Air.

Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco are doing what they can to give back to those who've put their lives on the line amid the Los Angeles wildfires ... volunteering in person to feed a crowd of first responders.

The pop star dressed down and masked up to hand out sandwiches to firefighters and police officers Thursday, after multiple infernos wreaked havoc throughout the City of Angels ... as the fight continues.

The Disney Channel alum and her fiancé oversaw meal service for the dedicated firefighters and cops, and she also gave a shout-out to the brave men and women.

Huge stars will be on stage for the upcoming concert to help the thousands of folks who lost it all in the L.A. fires, and some of the headliners have deep L.A. roots.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ, Lady Gaga, Billie Eilish and the Red Hot Chili Peppers will be among the 15 acts that have been booked so far to hit the stage 2 weeks from today.

We're also told the lineup includes Green Day, Jelly Roll and Gracie Abrams.

Lil' Kim isn’t backing down … doubling down on her wish for a monsoon to drench L.A. and put the wildfires out for good -- despite online backlash.

The rapper posted on X Thursday saying she didn’t get what all the fuss was about -- insisting a monsoon is just heavy rain, which in her mind, is exactly what L.A. needs.

Lil' Kim even backed up her take with a Google definition of a monsoon, highlighting the part about it causing a "seasonal shift in wind direction that can bring extreme wet or dry weather."

Some notoriously tough Philadelphia Eagles fans just proved they have a soft side ... they're raising some funds for Los Angeles wildfire victims -- in spite of their scheduled faceoff with the L.A. Rams on Sunday.

A spokesperson for GoFundMe tells TMZ Sports ... a group of Eagles supporters who congregate on Reddit created a charity earlier this week in an effort to assist people in need in the Rams' hometown.

The fans who helped kick things off made it clear they wanted to put the playoff matchup aside to make sure Angelenos felt supported, even from those thousands of miles away.