Devastating wildfires, raging across Los Angeles since Tuesday, have left a trail of destruction in their wake, consuming over 1,000 structures and forcing tens of thousands to evacuate. The inferno, currently burning across at least seven affluent areas including Pacific Palisades, Santa Monica, Malibu, and the Hollywood Hills, has claimed at least five lives and shows no signs of abating. The scale of the disaster is unprecedented, impacting iconic landmarks and the homes of numerous A-list celebrities.
Among the high-profile victims are Paris Hilton, whose $8.4 million (R158 million) Malibu vacation home was destroyed. Hilton shared her heartbreak on Instagram, writing: "Heartbroken beyond words. Sitting with my family, watching the news, and seeing our home in Malibu burn to the ground on live TV is something no one should ever have to experience." This sentiment is echoed by many others who have lost their homes and livelihoods.
The fires have also threatened iconic Los Angeles landmarks, including the Hollywood Bowl, Hollywood Walk of Fame, TCL Chinese Theatre, Ovation Theatre, and Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, placing them under imminent threat. The sheer scale of the evacuations – over 30,000 people forced to flee their homes – underscores the severity of the crisis.
Kim Kardashian's $70 million (R1.32 billion) Malibu mansion, a three-acre estate she purchased in 2022, has been perilously close to the flames. Located in Pacific Palisades, an area home to many A-list actors, including Ben Affleck who purchased a $20.5 million (R387 million) mansion there only six months ago, the property, described by Kardashian as her "dream home," boasts panoramic ocean views and extensive renovations. While Kardashian and her children are currently residing in Hidden Hills, north of Malibu, this area is also under an evacuation order, highlighting the widespread impact of the fires.
The devastation has extended to other prominent figures. Eugene Levy, the Schitt's Creek star, lost his lavish Pacific Palisades mansion. Recounting his escape, Levy told the LA Times: "The smoke looked pretty black and intense over Temescal Canyon. I couldn't see any flames, but the smoke was very dark." He described becoming trapped in a massive traffic jam during his evacuation.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's $29 million (R549 million) Montecito home is also under threat, facing potential evacuation depending on the fire's spread. The combination of gale-force winds and burning embers presents a rapidly escalating danger. Power outages from Southern California Edison (SCE), coupled with red flag warnings and mandatory evacuations, further complicate the situation.
Melissa Rivers, daughter of the late Joan Rivers, also lost her home. In a poignant interview with CNN's Kaitlan Collins, Rivers urged people to heed evacuation warnings: "I'm begging people to understand that when you get the notice that your area might be evacuated, get everything when they say 'go', you go," she said. "You don’t need to be standing on your roof with a garden hose, that’s not going to do anything. And I just beg people, if you are ever in this situation, listen to the warning and get out. That’s how my son and my fiancé and our dogs (are safe), and we had time to grab passports, important paperwork. I grabbed my Mom’s Emmy, a photo of my Dad, and a drawing that my mother had done. My heart is so broken, not just for myself, but going through this town, it’s wiped off the map."
The destruction has not been limited to these high-profile individuals. Leighton Meester and Adam Brody's Pacific Palisades home, purchased in 2019 for $6.5 million, was among the casualties. Billy Crystal and his wife, Janice, who had lived in their Pacific Palisades home since 1979, also lost their residence. In a statement, they expressed their heartbreak but affirmed their resilience: "We are heartbroken, of course, but with the love of children and friends we will get through this."
The fires have also impacted other celebrities, including Jamie Lee Curtis, Mandy Moore, and Maria Shriver, who were among the over 100,000 people forced to evacuate. Shriver described the devastation on X, stating: "Everything is gone. Our neighborhood, our restaurants. The firefighters have and are doing their best, but this fire is massive and out of control." Jamie Lee Curtis shared her anxieties on Instagram: "my community and possibly my home is on fire," she wrote. "It is a terrifying situation. Pray if you believe in it and even if you don't, pray for those who do." Mandy Moore also posted on Instagram, expressing her concern and uncertainty about her own property: "So gutted for the destruction and loss," she wrote. "Don't know if our place made it."
The largest blaze, consuming almost 12,000 acres (4,856 hectares) in Pacific Palisades, has had a particularly devastating impact on this picturesque neighbourhood, home to numerous entertainment industry figures. James Woods, reflecting on his evacuation, described the scene on CNN: "We were literally in the exact epicenter of the fire as it started. There was so much chaos. It was like an inferno."
Adding to the devastation, a separate fire erupted in the Hollywood Hills on Wednesday evening, rapidly expanding and necessitating further evacuations. While smaller than the other blazes, its proximity to Hollywood Boulevard and the Walk of Fame caused significant concern. The fire's potential to reach the Hollywood sign and Griffith Observatory further up the hills, coupled with its impact on the Dolby Theatre (venue for the Oscars), led to the postponement of the Oscar nominations announcement and the Critics Choice Awards.
The impact extends beyond the immediate area. Film permits were revoked in Pasadena and other areas east of Los Angeles, halting productions of shows like "Jimmy Kimmel Live" and "Grey's Anatomy," and causing several film premieres to be cancelled. Mark Hamill, reflecting on the situation, described the blaze as the "most horrific" since 1993. He detailed his evacuation from his Malibu home on Tuesday evening: "There (were) small fires on both sides of the road as we approached (the Pacific Coast Highway)," he recounted.
The fires have exposed the vulnerability of even the wealthiest communities, highlighting the devastating impact of natural disasters and the widespread suffering they inflict.
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