The Los Angeles Fire Department is continuing its hard work.
One week after the devastating Eaton and Palisades wildfires that ravaged Southern California were officially contained, LAFD captains Erik Scott and Adam VanGerpen shared insight into the department’s invaluable work.
“It’s been a very long month,” Scott exclusively told E! News correspondent Will Marfuggi on the 2025 Critics Choice Awards red carpet Feb. 7. “Our firefighters have been working around the clock.”
“It’s been a long, arduous month,” he continued, “but now we’re finally starting to get over the hump and we can start to work on the recovery now.”
The fire department official praised the assistance the neighboring areas provided, noting that at one point, over 5,600 firefighters were working on the blazes.
“We definitely needed that help,” Scott shared. “We’re very appreciative that we were able to enact that so quickly. It’s just been a very, very long process and we’re not done yet.”
The pair also added that the gratitude from the Los Angeles community has been appreciated and overwhelming. Along with the local community’s love, major star-studded events like the FireAid benefit concert and callouts during the Grammys have brought in waves of donations and support.
“Firefighters are used to going out there doing our job,” VanGerpan told E!. “We’ve had so many people appreciative in the community, as well as businesses. Hollywood’s really been stepping up supporting our firefighters.”
“We’ve had elementary school kids writing us thank you cards,” he said. “We’ve been putting those up in our office and in our fire stations. The support from the community—that means everything to us.”
Indeed, it’s a topic that is not unnoticed at the 30th annual event. For instance, Jeff Goldblum couldn’t help but praise the first responders who risked their lives amid the devastating fires.
“I’m deeply grateful to them and inspired by people coming together,” the Wicked star told the outlet alongside his wife Emilie Livingston. “There will be more crises, I’m sure, around which we can all unify and support each other. That’s what I’m hoping for and working towards.”
Read on to see who else arrived on the Critics Choice Awards red carpet.
Ariana Grande
In Christian Dior
Cynthia Erivo
In Armani Privé
Angelina Jolie
In Elie Saab
Hannah Einbinder
In Louis Vuitton
Nicole Kidman
In Saint Laurent
Demi Moore
In Schiaparelli Couture
Matt Bomer
In Berluti
Zoe Saldaña
In Saint Laurent
Orlando Bloom
Leighton Meester & Adam Brody
Leighton in Christian Dior and Adam in Santoni
Michelle Yeoh
In Balenciaga
Lupita Nyong’o
In Chanel
Kate Hudson
Maren Morris
In Monique Lhuillier
Naomi Watts
In Prada and Tiffany & Co. jewelry
Rachel Brosnahan
In Miu Miu and Pomellato jewelry
Kathryn Hahn
In Oscar de la Renta
Sarah Michelle Gellar
Colin Farrell
Mikey Madison
Logan Lerman
Cristin Milioti
In Saint Laurent and Brilliant Earth jewelry
David Harbour
Jodie Foster
Jessica Gunning
Dakota Fanning
In Irene Neuwirth jewelry
Jeff Goldblum
Marissa Bode
In Maria Lucia Hohan
Ethan Slater
Harvey Guillen
