On January 20, Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag filed a lawsuit against the city of Los Angeles, alongside other property owners and residents who experienced losses from the Palisades Fire. Since its start, the fire has destroyed thousands of structures across L.A. The lawsuit contends that mismanagement of water and hampered firefighting efforts are to blame for personal property loss.
The Destruction of the Palisades Fire
As reported by ABC 7, the Eaton and Palisades fires in L.A. were ignited by strong winds and fueled by an unusually dry season. This year has been one of Southern California’s driest on records. Since first igniting, these fires have killed 28 people and destroyed more than 12,000 structures.
The Pacific Palisades home belonging to Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt, who were made famous by their popular The Hills television series, was one of the structures lost to these wildfires. According to People, the celebrity couple claimed that they were dropped from their insurance company and have not been able to collect on insurance claims. Regarding this as a severe financial loss, they have since turned to online fundraising efforts.
Online Support for Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag
Since the loss of their home, Spencer Pratt has been outspoken on his financial situation, as reported by Variety. He shared the degree of his loss with his followers on TikTok.
“I know people are like, ‘You’re rich, you will be fine,’” Pratt wrote on the social media site. “Yeah, I wish. Everything in our house was paid for by Heidi and I hustling any way we could.”
Spencer Pratt’s online posting has drawn the attention of millions following his story online, growing his follower count at a rapid pace. He has used this heightened exposure to promote Heidi Montag’s music, urging followers to stream her work. Her album has since jumped to the top of the iTunes and Spotify charts. However, Pratt remains unsure whether this will provide the couple with any income. Instead, he has turned to online fundraising.
“I made, like, $4,000 on TikTok this week, but on TikTok Live, where people can just give to me direct, I think maybe $20,000,” Pratt informed Variety. “So that’s phenomenal, and life-changing.”
Complaints Made in the Lawsuit
In the wake of severe financial losses, Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag joined more than 20 other property owners and residents to file a lawsuit against the city of Los Angeles, as detailed by ABC 7. The complaint in the lawsuit contends that Los Angeles and its municipal water department created water issues that hampered firefighting efforts.
The complaint filed by the celebrity couple and other homeowners states that the Santa Ynez Reservoir, which services the Pacific Palisades neighborhood, had been out of commission since February 2024, as it was undergoing repairs.
Without access to the reservoir, firefighters needed to primarily rely on nearby water tanks. According to the complaint, hydrants in the neighborhood, which were connected to three tanks holding 1 million gallons of water each, went dry within 12 hours of use. Janise Quiñones, the water utility’s chief executive and chief engineer, was cited in the complaint.
Since the start of the wildfires in L.A., many have scrutinized events in which hydrants allegedly ran dry or supplied insufficient pressure for firefighting. Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag’s lawsuit will be joining many in an onslaught of lawsuits filed against the city and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. In response to this intense scrutiny, Governor of California Gavin Newsom has called for an independent investigation into L.A. water utility issues.
