Kind deed, kind words: It has not been easy for day laborers in Malibu. Merchants say the men, who are mostly from Central America and Mexico, are a menacing presence on street corners and parking lots. Residents have blamed them for crime, litter and declining property values. There was an uproar three years ago after a nonprofit group opened a hiring center for them at Zuma Beach. After much public angst, the center closed last year but revived two months ago at another location with the help of city and county officials. Even so, officials say, the opening of the new Malibu Labor Exchange was greeted by a flurry of nasty letters and telephone calls.

Last week, however, residents of Malibu’s exclusive Villa Costera area threw a party for some of the workers. The reason: Neighbors say eight of the men at the center were instrumental in helping save their home during the big fire.

“They were very heroic as far as we’re concerned,” said Mona Loo, a volunteer at the center whose home was among those the men are credited with helping save. “We didn’t ask them to come. Instead of evacuating the city as directed, they just showed up at my kitchen door…and they ended up helping eight other families.” Neighbors said several of the men worked through the day and night Nov 2 and 3, often at great personal risk, digging trenches, cutting trees and stamping out embers with shovels and blanket once water to the area was cut off.

Among the party favors for the honorees were emergency flashlights, bandannas, backpacks, dinero and sweat shirts imprinted with “Bombero de Villa Costera”. “Bombero”, you might have guessed is Spanish for firefighter.