Tyra Banks broke down in tears after discovering her home had burned to the ground in the California wildfires. The incident adds to the growing list of celebrities affected by California’s increasingly destructive fire seasons, with property losses estimated in the billions of dollars.
The supermodel-turned-TV star has revealed she was in Australia at a party with friends when she checked her phone and realized the house she shares in Los Angeles with her partner Louis Belanger-Martin had been consumed by flames — and she kept the news secret until the couple left the bash. The property, located in one of LA’s prestigious neighborhoods, was valued at several million dollars and was one of many luxury homes affected by the devastating fires.
Tyra tight-lipped about terrible loss
During an appearance on Australian TV show “Sunrise,” Banks explained: “I lost my house … I haven’t really talked about it, um, but yeah, I have. I just didn’t want to pull a lot of attention to me, I feel like there’s a lot of people that need that attention so I haven’t talked about it.” Her response reflects the growing awareness of climate-related disasters affecting communities across socioeconomic levels, as California faces its most challenging fire season in decades.
“But I can’t sit here and not tell the truth, that yeah we lost our house,” she said during her promotional tour in Australia for various business ventures and television projects, where she had been scheduled to appear at several high-profile events.
When she found out what happened
The “America’s Next Top Model” host went on to reveal the moment she found out her home had been destroyed, saying: “I was here [in Australia] … We were at a friend’s house here and we were just celebrating, having fun, and I just kept checking my phone, not for my house, but for my friends and family, making sure they were evacuating …” The evacuation orders affected more than 100,000 residents in the Los Angeles area, with emergency services working around the clock to ensure public safety.
“And then I asked my partner. I said: ‘I’m seeing something on my phone here’, and he … [nods]. And I just pulled it together and didn’t say anything to my friends, and just stayed in that moment.”
The fire spread rapidly through the area, giving residents minimal time to evacuate, with some having less than an hour to gather their belongings and flee to safety.
“And then we went home, and we cried, and we had our moment,” she said. The emotional toll of the disaster has affected thousands of families across southern California, with many losing not just their homes but irreplaceable personal belongings and memories.
The wildfires have been raging across southern California since Jan. 7 and have claimed the lives of at least 27 people and destroyed thousands of buildings. This marks one of the most destructive fire seasons in recent California history, with damage estimates reaching billions of dollars and requiring unprecedented levels of emergency response.
More than 5,000 firefighters on hand
Local fire departments have deployed more than 5,000 firefighters to combat the blazes, with support from neighboring states providing additional resources and equipment. The firefighting effort has been complicated by strong winds and unusually dry conditions, which have helped fuel the fires’ rapid spread across the region.
The loss of Banks‘ home has highlighted the increasing frequency and intensity of California’s wildfires, which experts attribute to climate change and prolonged drought conditions. Environmental scientists warn that these extreme weather events may become more common in the coming years, requiring new approaches to fire prevention and management.
Community response to the disaster has been swift, with local organizations and volunteers establishing emergency shelters and donation centers for displaced residents. The Red Cross has reported helping over 10,000 people affected by the fires, providing temporary housing, meals, and essential supplies.
Insurance companies estimate that claims from this fire season could exceed $5 billion, making it one of the costliest natural disasters in California’s history. The scale of destruction has prompted state officials to call for increased funding for fire prevention and forest management programs.
Recovery efforts are expected to take months, if not years, with many residents, including Banks, facing the challenging process of rebuilding their homes and communities. The incident has sparked renewed discussions about urban development in fire-prone areas and the need for stricter building codes to improve fire resistance.
