Perry Farrell’s wife Etty Lau Farrell shared an emotional message about their harrowing experience during the LA fires that occurred exactly one year ago. She detailed the terrifying moments when they were forced to evacuate their home. The heartfelt account was shared on Instagram.
Farrell’s message described the chaos and uncertainty they faced as the fires approached their neighborhood. The situation forced multiple evacuations and relocations.
“Armageddon descended upon LA exactly one year ago today in form of a fire storm. We had just returned home from a 10 day winter holiday,” she said. “18 hours later, at 10:30 in the morning, on the 7th January 2025, we woke up to all of our phones blasting, alerting us of an evacuation order. We went outside to our bedroom balcony, just in time to see planes collecting water from the ocean.”
She continued to detail the escalating situation that led to their eventual evacuation.
“Hezron drove home from across town, to help us get out of the house when it became clear that an evacuation was eminent. I told my family that we would leave if the fire crested hilltop behind our house,” she explained. “At 5:45pm, the police banged on our door, it was time to leave. Once Perry filmed one last video from our roof, we drove away from our house. We moved accommodations four times in five days, one day, we moved three times, to stay ahead of the fire.”
Farrell described the emotional toll of the uncertainty and the constant fear of losing everything.
“The worst part was the uncertainty, checking, and re-checking the status of the fire multiple times an hour. Hoping, praying, that a miracle would happen. All of our sentimental goods, everything we left behind, cataloged in our minds,” she said. “We had with us what was most important, each other. Our dogs were remarkably well behaved. They sensed fear and anxiety, not just ours but of a city in flames. Smoke, electricity, soot, ashes, whipped up by strong, strong wind.”
She reflected on the aftermath and their eventual return home after months of displacement.
“That eerie silence, almost like a vacuum, after the fire had passed, we felt for weeks as we explored different routes to break back into our neighbourhood, into our house to collect other essentials. Many short term rentals, weeks of remediation, four months later, we finally moved back into our house,” she continued. “We were one of the lucky ones. Our house stood. The fire stopped burning two streets over. Thanks to our on Neighbours, led by a former firefighter, fought so hard and succeeded in keeping the fire at bay once it crested the hill.”
Farrell concluded her message with thoughts for those still recovering from the devastating fires.
“Neighborhoods forever changed. We send our love, thoughts prayers to those who are still finding their footing, sorting out their lives, living and thriving in their survival,” she said. “You never know how strong you are until you’ve had your feet put to the fire, until the night Los Angeles went up in flames.”
The fire evacuation came during an already challenging period for the Farrell family. It added another layer of stress to what had been a turbulent year for the Jane’s Addiction frontman.
The couple had been dealing with significant personal and professional upheaval following the abrupt end of Jane’s Addiction’s U.S. reunion tour. AOL reported that Perry Farrell has been seeking medical treatment. He has appointments scheduled with both an otolaryngologist and a neurologist as he works to address health concerns that emerged during this difficult period.
The fire threat to their home held particular emotional significance beyond the material possessions at risk. AOL noted that their residence had served as a gathering place for close friends and fellow musicians, including the late Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins. Hawkins had shared a final voice message with Etty before his death in 2022.
“Take care of each other, and I’ll take care of me… I love, love, love, love you guys,” Hawkins had said in his last message to Etty. These words took on deeper meaning as the family faced the potential loss of their home and the memories it contained.
The timing of the fire evacuation also coincided with ongoing efforts to repair relationships within Jane’s Addiction. AV Club revealed that Perry Farrell has since apologized to his Jane’s Addiction bandmates for the onstage altercation in Boston that led to the tour’s cancellation. The band remains broken up for now.
