Carlos Vela, a former forward for Arsenal, is the most recent well-known person to lose because of the wildfires that are destroying Los Angeles.
Vela’s wife, Saioa Canibano, disclosed on Thursday that their $4 million (£3.3 million) Malibu home was one of the properties in the upscale Palisades neighbourhood that were damaged.
Yesterday, our lovely Malibu house caught fire. With everything that is going on, we are still in disbelief,” Canibano wrote on Instagram.
“It’s very sad and scary to see everything burning. To all the messages of concern that are being sent to us, we are safe. Sending much love to all those affected and hopefully they will soon manage to put out the fire.”
The wildfires, driven by severe drought and winds reaching up to 100 miles per hour, erupted on the morning of January 7.
Since then, they have claimed at least ten lives, destroyed thousands of homes, and forced over 130,000 residents to evacuate.
A Lavish Home Reduced to Ashes
Vela’s Malibu property, a luxurious 5,121-square-foot estate, featured five bedrooms, a chef’s kitchen, a swimming pool, and a host of high-end amenities, including a cinema room, wine cellar, spa, and multimedia room. The house also boasted a guest suite and three additional suites with en-suite bathrooms.
The family’s home, set on nearly 6,500 square feet of land, was showcased by Vela in a Christmas Instagram post just weeks before the tragedy.
Vela’s Journey in Los Angeles
Since joining MLS side LAFC in 2018, the Mexican footballer has made a significant impact in the league. He won the MLS MVP award in 2019, an MLS Cup trophy, and two Supporters’ Shield titles.
Although Vela left LAFC after the 2023 season, he rejoined the club late in 2024 to contribute to their campaign. Discussions about his future with the team are ongoing.
