Kim Kardashian has defended her decision to hire a team of private firefighters to protect her home from the California wildfires.
Over the last few weeks, thousands have lost their homes in wildfires that have devastated the state of California – and the flames reached Kim’s multi-million dollar mansion in Hidden Hills, which she shares with her husband Kanye West and their three children – North, Saint, and Chicago.
Last week, it was reported that Kim and Kanye hired a private team of firefighters to save their home from the flames – which naturally sparked backlash as people criticised their rich privilegege.
However, Kim has since defended their decision during an upcoming appearance on The Ellen Show.
The reality star explained: “Yeah, [the flames] got to our gate. Luckily we had protection and firefighters right there that were helping us to get the fires out. But, we’re still not in our home now because the smoke smell is too intense. And we have these machines everywhere trying to blow out the smoke smell.”
“We were really blessed to have the help of the firefighters that we did. Our house is right on the end of a big park, so the whole park had caught fire, and so if our house went, then every other house would go,” she said.
Responding to the critics, the mother-of-three insisted, “We were fortunate enough and blessed enough, and I know that not everyone has this luxury available to them.”
Kim explained that they hired a company that was recommended by friends who lost their home in a Santa Barbara fire.
“Because of them, they saved our home and our neighbourhood,” she said.
“Because I had them make sure that they controlled every house on the edge, so it wasn’t just my home, I said ‘take care of everything’. Because once ours starts, the whole neighbourhood can go.
“So, I don’t take that for granted, and that was such a blessing that we were able to do that,” she added.
The 38-year-old also announced that she and Kanye, his fashion brand Yeezy, and Adidas will be making two $200,000 donations to fire relief efforts – with one going to the Wildfire Relief Fund, and the other to the California Fire Foundation.
Later in the show, Kim also met a firefighter and his wife who lost their home in the wildfires, and Kim surprised them with a $100,000 donation to help rebuild their home.
