Selena Gomez Donates $5 Million to California Wildfires

A wave of wildfires spreading across Los Angeles County and prompting the evacuations of nearly 200,000 people are pushing celebrities—many of whom have lost homes or been forced to evacuate themselves—to donate supplies and money to relief efforts that have barely begun as the blazes rage on.

Deeply affected by the tragedy, Selena Gomez has used her social media platforms to amplify messages from rescue organizations.

In addition to spreading awareness, Gomez made a significant financial contribution to aid those impacted by the disaster.

According to Thomas Tighe, CEO of Direct Relief, the singer-actress donated $5 million to the Southern California Wildfire Relief Fund.

This isn't the first time Gomez has stepped up to support different causes.

She recently collaborated with Google to donate $10 million toward improving mental health care for teens in the United States. Through her beauty company, Rare Beauty, she has also contributed to aid victims of the Gaza conflict and supported lupus research, a disease she has battled for years.

Around $2.5 million has been raised from 4,000 donors for the California Community Foundations Wildlife Recovery Fund, Los Angeles officials said Friday.

There are five major fires burning in the vicinity of Los Angeles, including the Palisades Fire, which has burned nearly 20,000 acres, and the Eaton Fire, which has burned almost 14,000. 

The Eaton fire was still 0% contained as of Friday morning, and the Palisades fire was 6% contained. Other fires that have burned hundreds of acres include the Lidia Fire near the Angeles National Forest, Hurst Fire near San Fernando and Kenneth Fire just outside of Calabasas. 

Fires started burning in Los Angeles County Wednesday and little is known about how they began. One fire, the Kenneth fire, could have been started by a suspected arsonist who was arrested on Thursday after neighbors spotted him with a “propane tank or flamethrower" while "trying to light something on fire." 

At least 10 people have died since the fires began. The most impacted area so far, the Pacific Palisades, is home to scores of celebrities and local landmarks.