Iron Maiden guitarist Adrian Smith has lost a home to the destructive wildfires currently raging across Los Angeles. The news was confirmed in an Instagram post by Smith's wife, Natalie Dufresne-Smith, who wrote, "We are safe. We have each other. We will start again. Thank you for your support during these trying times."
Last week, Dufresne-Smith shared photos of smoke approaching the couple's property in Malibu, just north of Pacific Palisades, where wildfires have now destroyed an estimated 12,000 properties.
"We are safe, our neighbour finally left and is safe…. The neighbourhood?”, wrote Dufresne-Smith. "Look, I mean, this [the smoke] is definitely coming towards us. . . . Now we have to go. It’s just spread up here in the last few seconds. It’s time to go."
At least 16 people have been killed by the fires, which have burned through a combined total area of 40,000 acres.
Among those known to have lost homes are producer Bob Clearmountain, songwriter Dianne Warren and Primus guitarist Larry 'Ler' LaLonde, while Foo Fighters guitarist Chris Shiflett, Anthrax founder Scott Ian, Rage Against the Machine drummer Brad Wilk and Smashing Pumpkins
frontman Billy Corgan are among the tens of thousands of people who have been displaced.
MusiCares, the charity that provides a financial safety net for those working in the music industry, has announced a $1 million pledge to support music professionals impacted by the fires, offering $1,500 in immediate financial assistance and $500 in food vouchers to those with three years music industry service.
“MusiCares can help with short-term emergency needs for those currently displaced, and then longer-term services as we get a handle on the full extent of how music people are impacted,” says MusiCares Executive Director Laura Segur.
