A Dublin man has opened the doors of his restaurants and cafés at Venice Beach to evacuees amid the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles, and is providing food and support to first responders, saying: "It's the right thing to do."
Communities across the city have been rallying together as lives and communities are shattered by the devastating wildfires.
Dubliner Louie Ryan is one of those using his business, influence and connections to support people affected by the blazes.
Mr Ryan, who has lived in the US since the 90s and raised his family in LA, has opened the doors of his restaurants and cafés to evacuees.
He is offering them food and much needed solace.
"It's the right thing to do. I'm sitting here in my home untouched three miles from the fires. It could swoop in this direction at any minute," Mr Ryan said.
"I don't know how the city recovers after this."
At least 16 people have been killed since the fires broke out while 13 others remain missing.
Four wildfires are still burning in parts of the city and fire crews are working to get some of the blazes under control before another round of strong winds today.
As a restaurant and café owner, Mr Ryan can see the everyday impact this disaster is already having on the people of Los Angeles.
"These guys are real heroes"
"I don't know how the city recovers after this," he said.
He added: "There's a big hole in my heart. There's a big hole in the city's heart. The fall-out from this is going to be gigantic.
"I can see it on our customers and our employees" he said.
"There was a gentleman in my coffee shop yesterday. He's 90 years old. I said to him 'have you ever seen anything like this before?' And, he said 'World War Two'," Mr Ryan added.
Mr Ryan and his family have been also reaching out to first responders in his area, bringing them much needed food and caffeine as they work grueling shifts to try and tackle the wildfires.
"To walk into those stations, which my wife and I did the deliveries on day one, and just to smell the smoke and the char and see the boots covered in ash... these guys are real heroes," said the businessman.
"You know we all rush around with our daily lives and sometimes we are not present.
"It seems that this has brought the community together," he added.
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