West Hollywood Kiwi cafe supports evacuees with free coffees

By RNZ

A Kiwi-owned and themed cafe in West Hollywood has been offering free coffees to frontline workers and evacuees of the Los Angeles wildfires.

Ponsonby Road Cafe owner Jaime Choi says the Palisades fire has struck an area where a lot of expat New Zealanders live.

The wildfires have brought an influx of evacuees to his corner of the city, and he says there’s been some heartbreaking stories of people left homeless, and those who have no insurance.

Choi says West Hollywood is - so far - away from the worst of the fires, but the neighbourhood was filled with thick, dark smoke last week during the Sunset fire.

Choi told Morning Report some of his staff have been forced to evacuate their homes.

“That was pretty scary actually ... it was pretty close to us it was like a couple of streets over.

“People were worried, the streets were like crazy packed.”

Choi said he wanted to support the community and a lot of the people coming in for a coffee have had their houses burn down.

It was sad and heartbreaking, he said.

“I think everyone’s pretty anxious with the high winds in the area,” he said.

- RNZ

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