A series of wildfires have devastated parts of Southern California, forcing thousands of residents to flee their homes as they quickly engulf much of the Los Angeles area.
The first fire broke out in Pacific Palisades on Tuesday, January 7, and has burned nearly 3,000 acres of land since it started around 10:30 a.m. Videos show devastation in seaside community; as Pacific Palisades resident Maria Shriver wrote on Instagram: “Heartbreaking, devastating, beyond belief. Everything is gone. Our neighborhood, our restaurants. All our friends have lost everything.
The Eaton Fire (also called the Close Fire) followed, starting around 6:30 p.m.; by late morning it had exploded to 10,000 acres. By 6:15 a.m. on Wednesday, January 8, the Woodley Fire was ablaze, taking 75 acres in its wake.
North of that, the Hurst Fire, which was about 500 acres, started around 10:30 p.m. Tuesday and was still burning around 5 a.m. Wednesday. A fifth fire, the Tyler Fire, broke out west of Los Angeles near Coachella and was 50% contained at the time of writing.
Among the more than 80,000 people displaced were these celebrities, many of whom have called the area home for decades. Some, including Spencer Pratt, Heidi Montag and Cameron Mathison, are already reporting that their homes have been destroyed.
Find out what these stars said about their personal connection to this horrific natural disaster.
Cameron Mathison
Soap star Cameron Mathison shared video of the remains of his home in a heartbreaking video posted to Instagram. “We are safe. But this is what remains of our beautiful house. Our home where our children grew up and where they wanted to raise theirs one day,” he wrote under the post.
“Thank you to everyone who contacted us and registered. I can’t answer everyone, so I wanted to provide an update here,” he added. “I send so many prayers to everyone affected by these fires????????? »
Spencer Pratt et Heidi Montag
In a poignant video posted on TikTok, the former Hills Star Spencer Pratt revealed his home was among those burned down.
“Nightmare come true,” the father of two captioned the video.
His wife Heidi Montag posted a follow-up TikTok in which she confirmed the loss of their home and thanked fans for their prayers and thoughts. “Thank God we’re safe…it’s just…no words.”
Kate Beckinsale
Kate Beckinsale mourned the loss of the Pacific Palisades community that played an important role in her family’s life.
“My daughter and I lived there for most of her childhood and most of her childhood is gone,” she wrote. “His elementary school, every store or restaurant my parents and Michael’s parents went to – and, devastatingly, most of his friends’ houses. My heart is broken.
She continued: “The Pacific Palisades is a very unusual community in Los Angeles, which has many families with young children and pets. I cry for all the people and animals involved, I know so many of them. My heart breaks for the families who lost everything, and for the people and their animals, not to mention the horses and all the wildlife, businesses and people’s livelihoods. It’s like hell.
“If anyone in the village needs shelter and still doesn’t have a number to give me, please contact me on Instagram,” she concluded.
Mandy Moore
Mandy Moore/Instagram ; Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic
Mandy Moore is leaning on her loved ones as she and her family (and pets) were also forced to evacuate.
“I am grateful for the kindness of friends that we had a place to land last night. I try to protect the children from the immense sadness and worry I feel. I pray for everyone in our beautiful city. So gutted for the destruction and loss. I don’t know if our house succeeded.
Sandra Lee
Sandra Lee also had to evacuate her Malibu home as the fiery flames grew closer.
“My home in Malibu got me through some of the darkest times of my life. I loved creating it, beautifying it, building it, caring for it and protecting it. I cherished every moment I spent with it,” she shared on Instagram on January 7.
“As the fire gets closer, I pray for him – I pray for everyone in Los Angeles right now. What an incredibly terrifying moment for my community. As the fire reaches our doorstep, stay in touch with each other; Community in times like these is our lifeline.
JJ Reddick’s family
Kevin Mazur/WireImage
LA Lakers coach JJ Redick revealed his family was “panicking” as they were among those forced to evacuate their home amid the fires.
Before the Lakers vs. Mavericks game in Dallas on Jan. 7, Redick sent his “thoughts and prayers to everyone in the Palisades right now,” adding, “this is where I live.”
According to the AP, he noted: “Our family, my wife’s family, my wife’s twin sister, were evacuated. I know a lot of people are panicking right now, including my family.
“Thoughts and prayers of course, and hope everyone stays safe.”
Eugene Lévy
Frazer Harrison/Getty
Ruisseau Schitt star Eugene Levy, 78, told the Los Angeles Times that he found himself “trapped” by “black and intense” smoke above Temescal Canyon while trying to leave his home. “I didn’t see any flames but the smoke was very dark,” added the actor.
-Marc Hamill
Mark Hamill shared a “personal fire update” with his followers on Instagram, revealing he was evacuated from Malibu at 7pm alongside his wife Marilou and their dog Trixie. THE Star Wars The actor said he arrived safely at his daughter Chelsea’s Hollywood home and urged everyone to “stay safe,” before noting it was the “most horrific fires since 1993” and that his family had “fled to save our lives”.
James Woods
James Woods/X ; Esclave Vlasic/Getty
James Woods sent a message of gratitude as he revealed he also had to leave his home. “To all the wonderful people who have contacted us, thank you for your concern. Just letting you know that we were able to evacuate successfully. I don’t know at the moment if our house is still standing, but unfortunately the houses on our little street are not,” he tweeted just before 4 p.m. on January 7.
Jennifer Love Hewitt
“I have no words. Only prayers and holding on to as much hope as possible for our home and our children while we watch it all burn,” actress Jennifer Love Hewitt wrote on Instagram.
“Thank you to all the first responders who are fighting so hard for all of us. Thank you to all the friends who have reached out to me and the new people I have hugged in tears over the past 24 hours. ????????????”
Maria Shriver
Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty
Maria Shriver also posted a video chronicling the devastation in her neighborhood. “Heartbreaking, devastating, beyond belief,” she wrote in part.
“Everything is gone. Our neighborhood, our restaurants. All our friends have lost everything. We evacuated, but we are safe. But people lost everything.
Alabama and Landon Barker
Landon Barker/Instagram ; Alabama Barker/Instagram
Travis Barker’s children Alabama and Landon – who he shares with ex Shanna Moakler – also revealed to their followers that they had to evacuate via Instagram Stories. Landon shared a selfie and noted that he was “praying” for everyone involved, while his sister urged his followers to “be safe.”
Steve Guttenberg
Police academy et Three men and a baby Star Steve Guttenberg lent a hand to the LAFD and participated in the Pacific Palisades evacuations.
In an interview with local news station KTLA, he urged his fellow residents to leave keys in their cars so he and others can move them to help firefighters pass while they try to fight the fire.
Diane Warren
Diane Warren has revealed she lost the home she lived in for 30 years.
“This is the last photo I took of Leah’s rock from my beach house,” she wrote, referring to her late friend Leah, who died 10 years ago.
“I have had this house for almost 30 years. Looks like he was lost in the fire last night,” she continued. Yet Warren chose to be hopeful by alerting his followers that the animals at his rescue ranch were unharmed.
“It has a rainbow shining on it and I see it as a sign of hope for all creatures who have been affected by this tragedy. The animals and the rescue ranch are fine, but that’s the most important thing. Stay safe everyone.❤️????”
Jamie Lee Curtis
Jamie Lee Curtis revealed that although her house wasn’t affected, her entire neighborhood “was gone.”
“Our beloved neighborhood is gone. Our house is safe. So many others have lost everything. Help where you can. Thank you to the first responders and firefighters. @americanredcross”
Elizabeth Rooms
Emma McIntyre/Getty;Elizabeth Chambers/Instagram
After sharing photos of the Palisades High School field on fire and encouraging her Los Angeles-based fans to gas up their cars and seek shelter if possible, Elizabeth Chambers revealed on her Instagram Stories that she also had to evacuate and that she was now staying with her sister.
Lac Ricki
Ricki Lake is among those grieving the loss of their dream home.
“Everything is gone. ???? I can’t believe I’m typing these words. After a valiant and courageous effort by our friend and hero @kirbykotler_ Ross and I lost our dream home,” she wrote in a heartfelt caption alongside a carousel of photos she took at moments happier.
“This description of ‘dream house’ is not enough. It was our paradise on earth. The place where we planned to grow old together. We never took our heavenly spot on the cliff overlooking our beloved Malibu for granted, not even for a second. I shared our sunset views???? almost daily with all of you,” she continued.
She added: “This loss is immeasurable. This is the place where we got married 3 years ago. I grieve with all those suffering during this apocalyptic event.
I pray for all my neighbors, friends, community, animals, firefighters and first responders. More to share soon about how we escaped with Dolly and not much else. For now, I am in mourning. ????????????”
Jennifer Gray
Amy Sussman/Getty ; Stellagregg/Instagram
Jennifer Grey’s daughter Stella Gregg announced on her Instagram Stories that Dirty dance The actress’ house was “burned to the ground”. She assured her followers that her mother and her dog Winnie were safe and encouraged everyone to “give your loved ones an extra squeeze today.”
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