Kim Kardashian And Kanye West's $60 Million Mansion Saved By Private Firefighters

Not even a week after the Camp Fire started burning, it has already become California's deadliest and most destructive fire ever.

So far, the death toll has grown to 50 people across California, and more than 200 were reported missing earlier this week.

Over 200,000 acres have burned between the multiple wildfires across the state, and over 9,000 structures have been destroyed.

While regular people have faced the most damage and destruction, stories of celebrities braving the wildfires have received attention nationwide.

Actor Liam Hemsworth shared a photo from the scene of his destroyed home with singer Miley Cyrus, before donating half a million dollars to relief efforts in Malibu.

Pop singer Lady Gaga was also spotted visiting Red Cross shelters with pizza, coffee, and gift cards to hand out to evacuees.

And actor Gerard Butler shared a photo of his own destroyed home in Point Dume, before urging his fans to support shelters and charities for those affected by the fires.

But reality star Kim Kardashian attracted the wrong kind of attention this week, as TMZ broke the news that her $60 million mansion had been saved from destruction by a team of private firefighters.

Last week, Kardashian told fans she had arrived home just in time to evacuate from the path of the wildfires, but said "everyone is safe."

On Friday afternoon, she tweeted, "I heard the flames have hit our property at our home in Hidden Hills but now have stopped."

TMZ now says that a private firefighter team took desperate steps to save the star's home, including digging a fire ditch to stop flames from reaching the house.

The entertainment news site reports that Kardashian's neighbors were thankful for the emergency team, because protecting the mansion from burning may have kept the rest of her gated community safe from the flames too.

It may sound unusual to hire private firefighters, but it's actually a common benefit of many high-end insurance plans, especially in California's wealthy neighborhoods.

The LA Times reported that homeowners often pay at least $10,000 for the extra protection, which can include sprinklers, fire retardant systems, and private emergency workers.

But some criticized the reality star and her husband, rapper Kanye West, for seemingly putting their own property first.

Still, others said they could understand why celebrities would pay for these services.

On Sunday, Kardashian thanked firefighters during her acceptance speech at the People's Choice Awards, where Keeping Up with the Kardashians took home the prize for Reality TV Show.

"It's been a really rough week in our home in Calabasas. Our hearts are broken from the horrific shootings and those who have lost their lives and homes as well as the hundreds and thousands of us who have been forced to evacuate from the devastating fires that are currently burning."

Kardashian went on to encourage viewers to help, including by "donating to the many organizations that are collecting supplies."

"We would like to dedicate this win to all of the firefighters, the law enforcement, and the first responders," she added. "We really truly appreciate what you have done for all of us. So please let's continue to pray for everyone's safety."

You can learn how to help evacuees, animals, first responders, and more groups affected by the California wildfires on GoFundMe.

[H/T: TMZ]

What do you think? Can you understand why Kim and Kanye hired private firefighters?