Dublin native and Los Angeles-based record producer Reb Kennedy has spoken to Hot Press, detailing his experience of losing his home and recording studio in the fires that have ravaged the city over the past week.

Kennedy, known for helping Imelda May breakthrough early on in her career, is the founder of Wild Records, the independent label from which he has recorded and released over 200 albums. Living in the Altadena neighbourhood, he first noticed a fire on the distant hills while walking his dogs on Sunday, but admits to not thinking much of the blaze at first.

"I wasn't that worried because they happen every year," Kennedy says.  "The fire was burning but the wind was blowing away from my house, so as crazy as it might sound to people unfamiliar with the area, it wasn't a big concern.

"But I woke up in the middle of the night because of the smell of smoke. Outside the whole neighbourhood was smoky, so I went back inside and said to my wife and my son that we had to leave. Then the evacuation order went off on my phone. We grabbed our passports and a handful of photos, the dogs and left. We left everything behind.

"In the middle of the night, the winds went from 20 miles an hour to 92 miles an hour, and now they were blowing West towards our home. A neighbour called up and said that their house is on fire.  As soon as I heard that, I thought, 'we're fucked'."

Both Kennedy's family home and his recording studio have been reduced to "dust", he says.

"There's nothing [left], not a single thing."

Among the items lost include a 10,000+ collection of vinyl records, the master tapes from his 25-years as a producer with Wild Records and all of the vintage, rare studio equipment that Kennedy had accumulated throughout his career.

"I'm a record person. So, emotionally, we lost everything. All the bands on my label are non-electronic or hip-hop. We're all about guitars, whether that’s punk, rockabilly, blues, gospel, soul, country or jazz.

"We're fortunate that we had insurance on a house but they won't cover my studio. I had two Gretsch drum kits, a Rickenbacker bass, three upright basses, all pre 1960. I had about 10 Gibson amps from before 1950, as well as hundreds of vintage microphones."

Kennedy also elaborated on the aftermath in the surrounding area, painting a bleak, apocalyptic image of one of L.A's most historic neighbourhoods.

"Altadena is one of the oldest neighbourhoods in California," he said. "My house was built in 1927, and a lot of people that lived in the area had been there for generations. It looks like an atomic bomb was dropped on it. The whole neighbourhood is gone. It doesn't exist anymore."

Friends, family and musicians have been reaching out, Kennedy informs, with A GoFundMe being set up unbeknownst to him.

"Two of my musicians set up the GoFundMe," he says. "They didn't tell me because they knew if they did, I would have said no. The response is absolutely staggering to me. The kindness of people is amazing."

Kennedy is also being contacted regularly by Irish singer and longtime friend Imelda May.

"I've known Imelda since she was a little girl. I brought Imelda to England to live, to try and help develop her career. I was there with her at the beginning getting everything going. She's been calling me every day."

• Visit the Help Rebuild Wild Records GoFundMe here.