Jay Leno Serves Hot Meals to LA Firefighters Amid Wildfires: Watch

On By Littum

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As firefighters race to put out the devastating wildfires plaguing Los Angeles, Jay Leno is doing his part to help.

On Monday, the former talk show host made a late-night stop at the Pacific Palisades area to serve meals to Los Angeles Fire Department firefighters. This comes after Leno visited emergency crews stationed at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Sunday, he told CNN’s Anderson Cooper in a recent interview.

In footage of his Palisades visit, Leno can be seen serving steaming BBQ dishes to a number of firefighters.

Erik Scott, a fire captain and public information officer for the LAFD, thanked Leno for his altruism in a statement published on X: “We are grateful for his kindness (and) the support of our community during this challenging time.”

Multiple blazes have broken out in LA since January 7, wiping out neighborhoods and leaving a catastrophic trail of destruction. Fires in the Pacific Palisades, Altadena, Sylmar and Ventura areas remained active Tuesday, with Southern California facing “critical fire weather” through Wednesday.

At least 24 people have died between the Eaton and Palisades fires, the two largest fires, the Los Angeles County medical examiner said. The Palisades fire had at least eight deaths, according to medical records, and 16 people have died in the Eaton fire.

Leno, who drove to the Pacific Palisades location in a 1941 American LaFrance fire engine, reflected on the destruction of wildfires with Cooper on Monday.

“It’s a whole town wiped out,” Leno said. “I mean, Pacific Palisades, it doesn’t exist and probably won’t exist for the next five, six years.”

However, Leno said he was encouraged by the “sense of community” he’s witnessed through the city’s relief efforts. “We’ll get through it, we always do,” he added.

Leno isn’t the only star lending a helping hand. Amidst the disruption and destruction caused by the firestorm, the celebrity world is showing its support by engaging in various relief efforts.

Actress Jamie Lee Curtis and pop singer Beyoncé have pledged millions in donations, while co-host Jimmy Kimmel set up a donation center on the backstage of his show to collect and “quickly distribute essential items to those who need them.”

(This story was updated to correct a typo.)

Contributor: USA TODAY staff