Real estate tycoon trolled for wanting 'private firefighters' as wildfires ravage Pacific Palisades

Keith Wasserman triggered a wave of criticism and mockery for wanting special treatment during wildfire crisis in L.A.

A West Coast-based real estate tycoon, Keith Wasserman, became social media's newest target of the week for inquiring about private firefighters to potect his property from the destructive wildfires that started spreading rapidly earlier this week and have now claimed up to 5 lives while thousands are forced to evacuate.

Taking to X on Wednesday, Wasserman inquired if anyone had "access to private firefighters to protect our home in pacific Palisades", adding that he is willing to "pay any amount." to fend off disaster while the fire engulfs his neighbouring estates.

As his post starting making the rounds on social media, users chimed in about the widening wealth gap and inequity in America and the hypocrisy of people like Wasserman who advocate for cutting taxes but want exclusive facilities for themselves.

Some users started envisioning the future of climate change and how people will try to buy their way out of it through money while others condemned Wasserman and those in the same wealth bracket as him for being selfish.

“Will pay any amount.” Feels like one of those futile pleas we’re going to hear from wealthy people more and more in the era of climate change.

— Matt Novak (@paleofuture.bsky.social) 2025-01-08T06:16:43.094Z

This is the thing. Even if you *do* manage to find private firefighters, you’re going to have to find a water source. They all want to disappear on a lifeboat and leave the rest of us to drown or burn. But ultimately there is no durable lifeboat without ‘the rest of us’.

— Anna Orridge (@anna-orridge.bsky.social) 2025-01-08T18:48:59.214Z

 

Some social media users even dug up past posts of Wasserman in which he labelled Pacific Palisades as "the most hidden gem neighbourhood in L.A'. Due to this backlash, Wasserman ended up deactivating his account.

Meanwhile, the wildfire spreading across L.A County remains uncontained, destroying more than a 1,000 structures leading it to be called as the 'most destructive fire' in the County.