At around 10:30 a.m. on January 7 (local time), a wildfire broke out in Los Angeles (California, USA), engulfing the luxury resort Pacific Palisades in flames.
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| Large-scale wildfires occur in Los Angeles. Photo: Getty Images. |
California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency as he landed in the Pacific Palisades area by helicopter and met with first responders battling a fire that has burned more than 30,000 acres (12,140 hectares), according to CalFire
Mr. Newsom warned that winds of up to 100 mph could cause the fire to spiral out of control and even create more fires.
Authorities recorded many structures destroyed and at least two deaths as of the morning of January 8 (local time).
More than 30,000 Los Angeles residents had to evacuate their homes, including many celebrities.
Ben Affleck was spotted driving away from the $20 million mansion he bought after splitting from Jennifer Lopez on the evening of January 7. According to TMZ , the Argo director fled to his ex-wife, actress Jennifer Garner,’s house nearby.
On the same day, veteran actor Eugene Levy told the Los Angeles Times that he got stuck in traffic while trying to escape his neighborhood.
“The smoke looked black and intense over the Temescal Canyon area. I didn’t see any fire but the smoke was very black,” the Canadian-born artist described.
On his X account, Once Upon a Time in America actor James Woods posted a video recording the fire approaching his estate.
He said he and his family had to leave their home, expressing hope that everyone escaped safely.
In a later tweet, Woods announced a successful evacuation, but remained concerned about his property.
“I don’t know if our house is still standing. Sadly, the houses on our little street are gone,” the actor wrote.
Mark Hamill also posted updates on social media. The Star Wars star said he saw small fires on both sides of the road while evacuating his home in Malibu, California.
He called it the worst fire since 1993 and urged people to stay safe.
“Evacuated and safe with kids, dog and cat,” Mandy Moore wrote via Instagram Story.
According to the New York Post , Moore owns a $6 million home in Los Angeles. The This Is Us actress has been selling it since the summer of 2024, but it is unclear if there has been a buyer yet.
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| Jennifer Love Hewitt drives through the most intense fire area. Photo: IG. |
Instagram photo shows Jennifer Love Hewitt driving through the area engulfed in flames.
“I have no words. I just prayed and hoped as hard as I could for our home and our baby as I watched everything go up in flames. Thank you to all the first responders fighting so hard for all of us. Thank you to all the friends who reached out and new acquaintances I hugged in tears over the past 24 hours,” the 46-year-old actress wrote.
Meanwhile, Steve Guttenberg is helping with the evacuation process. On KTLA5 , the Police Academy star urged people to leave their keys behind if they leave their cars in the fire zone. This will make it easier for authorities and volunteers to move the cars out of the way, making the rescue effort smoother.
Although not confirmed, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle may have to move out of their $14 million home in Montecito, California.
According to the Telegraph , on January 8, a spokesperson for Southern California Edison said the company was considering cutting off power due to red alerts and increased risk of wildfires .
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s estate is in a “high fire risk” area, the representative added.
For Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag, their home burned down in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood. The only consolation for the reality TV couple is that they were able to evacuate safely.
Top Gun 2 actor Miles Teller also owns a home in Pacific Palisades, so he may have to evacuate. Sadly for him and his wife, the $7.5 million mansion, purchased in 2023, is unlikely to survive.
Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson have not made any statements, but could be significantly affected due to their ownership of multiple properties in Pacific Palisades.
Their son, Chet Hanks, drew attention with a post on Instagram: “The neighborhood I grew up in is burning down. Praying for the Palisades.”
