Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt are suing the city of Los Angeles after their Pacific Palisades home was destroyed in the devastating wildfires that have torn through southern California.
The reality TV couple, who rose to fame starring in hit teen series Laguna Beach andThe Hills, filed the lawsuit on Tuesday (21 January) along with more than 20 other property owners and residents who have been affected by the Palisades Fire.
They are described as “property owners, tenants and individuals” who suffered “untold devastation” due to the fires such as damaged homes, insurance coverage shortfalls, mandatory evacuations, medical expenses, business interruptions and emotional distress.
Pratt’s mother, Janet Pratt, is also on the list of plaintiffs, along with a man named as William Pratt. While it is not confirmed what relation he has to the TV star, he is listed as living in the same house as Janet.
His sister, Stephanie Pratt, confirmed in an emotional post on 8 January that their parents’ home had also been destroyed in the Palisades fire, just hours after Heidi and Spencer’s property was razed to the ground.
The complaint blames Los Angeles and its municipal water department for the water issues that hampered firefighting efforts, claiming that it ultimately led to the damage to their properties.
The Eaton and Palisades fires, ignited by strong winds during one of the region's driest years on record, have killed 28 people and destroyed more than 12,000 structures, putting them among the most destructive fires in California history.
Earlier this month, California governor Gavin Newsom said he wanted to know “what the hell happened” to critical water systems, as he called the fires the “worst natural disaster in US history”.
He has called for an independent investigation into the LA water utility over the issues, amid intense scrutiny over fire hydrants running dry and problems with water pressure.
The complaint filed by the Pratts and others mentions that the Santa Ynez Reservoir, which services the Pacific Palisades neighborhood, was offline and had been out of commission since February 2024 while awaiting repairs.
The hydrants in the neighborhood were connected to three tanks that held one million gallons (3.7 million liters) of water each and went dry within 12 hours, the complaint said, citing Janisse Quiñones, the water utility's chief executive and chief engineer.
Without water from the reservoir, firefighters had to primarily rely on the water tanks, which were not designed to fight such a large fire, the complaint said.
The city and water utility did not immediately respond to requests for comment from the Associated Press.
While the repairs to the reservoir were requested in January 2024, the water utility told the Los Angeles Times they would not be completed until April or May 2025.
The lawsuit called the Palisades Fire an “inescapable and unavoidable consequence” of the water system operated by the city and water utility.
“The system necessarily failed, and this failure was a substantial factor in causing Plaintiffs to suffer the losses alleged in this complaint,” it said.
The plaintiffs cite the principle known as “ inverse condemnation,” which is the same mechanism that requires utilities to pay for wildfire damages caused by their equipment.
Last week, Spencer Pratt revealed that he had earnt $4,000 through TikTok and around $20,000 through TikTok Live while relentlessly posting updates about his family’s situation.
The couple, who were the antiheroes of MTV reality juggernaut The Hills in the late Noughties, have experienced renewed interest through their social media activity in recent weeks.
“I made, like, $4,000 on TikTok this week, but on TikTok Live, where people can just give to me direct, I think [I made] maybe $20,000,” he toldVariety in an interview published on Saturday (January 18).
“So that’s phenomenal and life-changing. That’s the power of individual supporters, people just backing you and getting behind you,” he continued.
“And that’s the most powerful when you don’t have to rely on ads or AI and algorithms, when just actual human beings just want to give. It’s unbelievable and incredible.”
Montag’s 2010 album, Superficial, also shot to No 1 on iTunes 15 years after its release, although Pratt said he did not know whether he and his wife would acrue any earnings from this.
“I have no idea how much money [the music has made]. I don’t know if it comes in checks or when, but everybody keeps telling me, don’t expect any money. I’m more excited about the energy and opportunities that come from it. I don’t think these streams and all these charts [make money],” Pratt said.
“Based on what people are telling me, the music business is about touring, it’s about merchandise, it’s about all the things that come with it; that’s how the artists make money unless you’re doing billions of streams, which I’m still energetically [pushing]. It’s not happening yet! I’m being optimistic because truly, it’s the only way to get through all this.”
Additional reporting by Associated Press
