US Veteran's 'Cheap Purchase' Saved His Home From LA Fires While Celebs Pay $2K/Hour For Private Fire Fighters

While some Los Angeles celebrities paid exorbitant fees for private firefighting crews during the recent wildfires, a 30-year-old resourceful Army veteran successfully defended his home with a remarkably 'cheap purchase,' highlighting the stark disparities in access to resources during times of crisis.

Facing the encroaching flames, Jim Cragg deployed a network of cheap oscillating sprinklers, successfully shielding his Palisades home. 'After the last brush fire got close to us a couple of years ago, I bought these cheap sprinklers, the ones that wave back and forth, and bought hoses,' he told NBC News.

Veteran Defends Home With 'Cheap Purchase'

'I had them ready, popped up on my roof, turned them on, sprayed down fire retardant on the side of my house, and I left, got out with my family,' he explained. Perched on a hillside, Cragg watched the flames advance. As they rolled down, the water from his sprinklers extinguished the fire, saving his home and shielding his neighbours below.

However, as his family fled the encroaching flames, they became trapped, describing the scene as a harrowing warzone. 'It was difficult. I mean it's like Afghanistan-type difficult,' Cragg said. 'Everyone up here is doing a great job. I've been talking with LAPD, LA Fire. They're doing everything they can, but it's a war zone.'

Driving through his ravaged neighbourhood, the father shared photos of the destruction on Facebook. 'I'm used to this situation overseas; 30 years, I've been all around the world. I've seen what the world has to offer in its worst case, but my neighbours are not ready for this. My family is not ready for this,' he said.

Garden Hose Stands Up To The Inferno

Facing the advancing wildfire, John Carr, 65, a determined homeowner, fought back using only a garden hose to protect his home. Leaping over fences, Carr sustained a rib injury as the flames encroached upon his rear garden, threatening his home.

Undeterred, he grabbed his garden hose to extinguish the burgeoning spot fires, vigilantly guarding his property against the relentless blaze for days on end.

'The house was built by my mother and father in 1960 and I lived here my whole life so there's a lot of memories here. And I think I owed it to them as well to try my best to save it,' the former pilot said.

Celebrities Hire Private Firefighters Amid LA Wildfires

While firefighters battle the infernos, some of LA's elite are shelling out as much as £1647.63 ($2,000) an hour for private firefighting crews to protect their multi-million dollar homes.

In a move that has sparked outrage, the ultra-rich of Tinsel Town are hiring expensive private firefighters, including those deploying a controversial bright pink flame retardant, to protect their valuable properties.

Keith Wasserman, co-founder of real estate investment firm Gelt Venture Partners, ignited a firestorm of criticism after publicly soliciting 'private firefighters' on X to protect his property in the exclusive Pacific Palisades.

Wasserman's X post read: 'Does anyone have access to private firefighters to protect our home in Pacific Palisades? 'Need to act fast here. All neighbours houses burning. Will pay any amount. Thank you.'

Celebrities Slammed For Firefighting Privilege

Social media erupted in criticism, lambasting Keith as 'incredibly tone-deaf' for his plea. Wasserman joins the ranks of LA's elite, which is facing condemnation for potentially exacerbating the water crisis by diverting vital resources away from public firefighting efforts.

'Ordinary' residents have faced strict water-conservation rules since 2022, including a limit of eight minutes for garden watering twice weekly.

Kim Kardashian, residing in a £49.43 million ($60 million) mansion within The Oaks, an exclusive gated community near the epicentre of one of this week's fires, was fined by city authorities in 2022 for exceeding her water allocation by a staggering 232,000 gallons. Other celebrities, including Sylvester Stallone and comedian Kevin Hart, also faced fines for similar water usage violations.

While ordinary citizens like Jim Cragg and John Carr demonstrate ingenuity and resourcefulness in combating the fires with simple, affordable solutions, the actions of some celebrities, prioritizing lavish lifestyles and private firefighting crews, highlight a stark disconnect from the realities the wider community faces.