Wildfires force evacuations, including Hollywood stars

LOS ANGELES: Strong winds fuelled fast-moving wildfires in Pacific Palisades, prompting evacuations across the affluent coastal neighborhood. Many residents, including prominent Hollywood actors and entertainment professionals, were forced to leave their homes.

By Tuesday morning, January 7, at least 30,000 people had been ordered to evacuate as the wildfire quickly expanded from 20 acres to over 3,000 acres in just a few hours. The area, located on Los Angeles’ west side, is home to several A-list celebrities, including Tom Hanks, James Woods, Reese Witherspoon, Adam Sandler, Steve Guttenberg, and Michael Keaton.

Actor James Woods shared videos of the fire on social media, showing thick smoke and flames near his property. “We are safe and out,” he wrote on X. Woods highlighted the community’s efforts to safely evacuate children from local elementary schools.

Steve Guttenberg, famous for his role in Police Academy, was actively helping officials manage the situation. Speaking to a local news channel, he urged fleeing residents to leave their car keys in their vehicles to create space for fire engines.

“People take their keys like they’re in a parking lot,” Guttenberg said. He also mentioned that traffic on Palisades Drive was preventing some families and pets from evacuating.

Reality TV stars Pratt and Montague, known from The Hills, were also evacuated from their Los Angeles home as the wildfire approached. TMZ reported that the couple and their two sons, Gunner and Ryker, were safely relocated.

Several high-profile Hollywood events, including the premieres of Unstoppable (starring Jennifer Lopez) and Wolf Man (produced by Ryan Gosling), were cancelled due to the fires.

California Governor Gavin Newsom confirmed that “many structures” were destroyed in the wildfires. The Eaton Fire in the San Gabriel Mountains above Pasadena also expanded to 400 acres by Tuesday.

President Joe Biden was briefed on the situation and pledged federal support, offering any assistance needed to combat the devastating blaze.

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