Metallica donate $500,000 to Los Angeles wildfire relief
Metallica have donated $500,000 to relief efforts across Los Angeles following the break-out of destructive wildfires last week.
The wildfires that began on January 7th have yet to be fully contained and are continuing to wreak havoc in Los Angeles. According to the County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner, 24 people have died as a result of the wildfires, and more than 12,000 structures have been destroyed in a 40,000-acre vicinity.
In light of the wildfires, the music industry has rallied together in support of Los Angeles. On January 30th, the benefit concert, FireAid, is set to take place at the recently opened Inuit Dome and raise funds for families displaced by the tragedy. At this stage, no musical acts have been announced for the event.
Furthermore, The Weeknd has delayed the release of his upcoming album, Hurry Up Tomorrow, until January 31st due to the wildfires. He was also set to play a huge launch show at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Los Angeles on January 25th, which has now been cancelled.
Now, Metallica are donating $500,000 which is set to be split between the California Community Foundation’s Wildfire Recovery Fund and the Pasadena Community Foundation’s Eaton Canyon Fire Relief and Recovery Fund.
In a statement, Metallica shared: “In the past week, the community has suffered at least 24 lives lost, nearly 100,000 people under evacuation orders, 40,000 acres burned, and more than 12,000 structures—commercial and residential—destroyed. However, numbers cannot articulate the magnitude of anguish as the disaster upends families and dismantles livelihoods.”
Their donation comes after Beyoncé donated $2.5 million through her BeyGOOD foundation to the relief efforts. The foundation said: “The fund is earmarked to aid families in the Altadena/Pasadena area who lost their homes, and to churches and community centers to address the immediate needs of those affected by the wildfires.”
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