One year after wildfires swept across Southern California claiming more than 400 lives and destroying some 13,000 homes, a new report requested by U.S. Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-CA) shows that $100 million in funds raised by FireAid to help victims weren’t entirely distributed for wildfire relief.
Based on information provided by FireAid — which held a two-venue benefit concert and music-based fundraising initiative in Inglewood, Calif., on Jan. 30, 2025 to raise donations for victims — the 10-page report released on Jan. 6 identifies several expenditures that were not clearly aligned with direct wildfire relief.
“The purpose of requesting this report was to provide transparency and accountability to the public,” Rep. Kiley said on Tuesday. “Donors gave generously with the understanding that their contributions would help wildfire victims recover and rebuild. This report helps clarify how the funds were actually used and highlights areas where spending did not align with the concert’s stated purpose or donor expectations.”
FireAid assured donors that proceeds would be used to directly support victims of the California wildfires, but in the months following the concert, the public and the media raised questions about whether the funds were being used in a manner consistent with the stated purpose of the event and with donor intent.
Rep. Kiley requested the report, which was issued by the U.S. House Judiciary Committee earlier this week. Among its findings, the report says that FireAid funds were used for activities such as voter participation initiatives, podcast programming, fungus-planting projects, and compensation for nonprofit staff, rather than direct wildfire relief.
Additionally, $100,000 of FireAid donations went to promote voter participation, the report says, while approximately $550,000 in donations went to organizations involved in political advocacy and at least $250,000 was directed toward programs benefiting undocumented immigrants.
The report also says that $100,000 in FireAid donations was paid to podcasters and more than $500,000 was used to cover salaries, bonuses, and consultant fees for nonprofit organizations.
Rep. Kiley said he is also signing onto a bipartisan letter led by U.S. Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA) that requests President Trump to provide California its fair share in federal disaster assistance.