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'Not everyone in LA is rich, people need help'

Danny Meigh A head and shoulders black-and-white photo of a man wearing a black shirt, with short hair and a beard, smiling at the camera.Danny Meigh
Danny Meigh fled the Los Angeles wildfires with his family

A man whose house survived the Los Angeles wildfires while neighbours' homes burned said he had been "blown away" by how much the community came together to help those affected.

"Everyone I know that lives [in LA] is doing something to help," said Danny Meigh, who is originally from Worcester. "It's been incredible."

At least 24 people have lost their lives in the wildfires.

Mr Meigh and his partner have started a fundraising campaign with the aim of generating $120,000 (£99,000) for his neighbours who have lost their homes - and issued a reminder that despite the glitz, LA is not populated solely by the rich and famous.

Mr Meigh owns a house in Altadena, one of the worst-affected areas.

It was being let out to tenants - who managed to escape safely - while Mr Meigh rented an apartment in another part of the city, which he shared with his wife and one-year-old son.

Although the area they were in was largely unaffected, Mr Meigh and his family fled LA for San Diego, 111 miles (179 km) away, and only returned at the weekend.

Danny Meigh A bungalow surrounded by bushes, trees and a front lawn in front of a yellow/orange sky.Danny Meigh
Mr Meigh's home has not been destroyed but some of his neighbours have not been as lucky

He said he was "pleasantly surprised" by the scene when he returned.

"I was expecting it to be like a complete warzone, but it actually looks like it's starting to lift and improve," he explained.

"It's definitely quite humid and smoky, but I can see an improvement.

"I know that everyone's working tirelessly to get these fires put out, and they're containing a lot of these big fires now.

"And you can see that in the sky."

Getty Images A long shot of Los Angeles with an enormous plume of smoke rising above hills on the edge of the city.Getty Images
Several wildfires are still burning in the LA area

Mr Meigh has yet to visit the house in Altadena, but a friend has assured him it is intact - one of just a few on his street.

"Unfortunately, four or five houses around our house have gone," he said.

"It's terrible."

He said the common perception of LA, as a city of film stars and millionaires, was inaccurate.

"It might sound funny to some people, but LA is a working-class city," he said.

"The people on my street are working class and I want to do all I can to help them. Because they've lost everything."

The fundraiser launched by Mr Meigh and his partner has so far raised $10,000 (£8,200).

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