Dozens of celebrities have lost their multi-million-dollar mega-mansions in the apocalyptic Los Angeles fires that have killed 24 people and burned more than 40,000 acres.
Firefighters are currently working to contain three active blazes in the Los Angeles area and officials warn that Tuesday’s forecasted 70mph wind gusts could cause ‘explosive fire growth’.
Flames have forced some 150,000 people to evacuate and reduced whole neighborhoods to smoldering ruins, leveling the homes of the rich and famous and ordinary folk alike, and leaving an apocalyptic landscape.
More than 50 A-listers abandoned their luxurious California mansions and fled for their lives after the fires first broke out last Tuesday, with dozens now confirming that their homes were reduced to rubble in the devastating fires.
Mel Gibson’s Malibu home is ‘completely gone’ after the roaring infernos rolled through, though the actor confirmed his chickens survived.
Broadway producer Candy Spelling confirmed that her $23million Malibu vacation home was destroyed in the fires, telling TMZ that she is in ‘shock’ but also ‘beyond grateful for the memories’ her family had in the home.
Similarly, Bella Hadid was left heartbroken after learning her childhood Malibu home had been reduced to rubble.
Officials said at least 12,300 structures have been damaged or destroyed in the raging infernos. Most of the celebrity homes impacted by the blaze appear to be located in the ritzy Pacific Palisades neighborhood, with Veep star Julia Louis-Dreyfus among the latest Palisades local to confirm her home is no longer standing.
The Palisades Fire – the largest of the three blazes ripping through Los Angeles – ignited on January 7 and has scorched 23,713 acres and is only 13 per cent contained as of Sunday.
The Eaton Fire in the foothills east of Los Angeles scorched another 14,117 acres or 22 square miles – itself nearly the size of Manhattan – and firefighters increased the containment to 27 per cent, up from 15 per cent a day earlier.
North of the city, the Hurst Fire is 89 per cent contained, and three other fires that had ravaged other parts of the county were now 100 per cent contained, though areas within the containment lines may still be burning.
The cause of the fires remain under investigation, with authorities probing several theories including arson. A shocking analysis has found that the devastating Palisades Fire may have been started by the rekindling of a New Year’s Eve blaze. Energy company Edison International is also being investigated over a possible link to the Hurst fire.
MEL GIBSON
Mel Gibson’s Malibu home is ‘completely gone’, his publicist Alan Nierob confirmed Friday after Gibson had revealed the loss of his home earlier in the day while appearing on Joe Rogan’s podcast.
After learning that his house was about to be destroyed the actor said he rushed back to the Malibu mansion with his son to grab whatever they could before it all turned to ash.
He said the pair only escaped with their passports and a few other important documents while his artworks and books, some of which were from the 16th century and priceless, were destroyed in the flames.
The Oscar winner, who lived in the property for 14 years, told NewsNation that he had ‘never seen such a complete burn’ before.
He added that although his home did not survive the blaze, his chickens did. He says they have been given water and grain and are ‘happy and laying eggs and stuff’.
BELLA HADID
Bella Hadid over the weekend shared a heartbreaking photo of her childhood home in Malibu burning down amid the ongoing fires tearing through LA.
The model, 28, took to her Instagram Stories with a photo of her mom Yolanda Hadid’s, 60, iconic former Malibu mansion engulfed in flames.
The luxurious property — where Yolanda once lived and raised her kids including Bella and her sister Gigi — would frequently make appearances on the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills (RHOBH).
‘Childhood bedroom,’ Bella wrote on the snap with a sad face emoji.
She also shared another decimated photo of the home in the daytime. Once a backdrop to the reality TV series and drama-filled dinner parties in the earliest seasons, now just the wooden frames of the home remain.
JULIA LOUIS-DREYFUS & BRAD HALL
Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Brad Hall are among the latest Palisades celebrities to confirm their home was ravaged in the roaring blaze.
The two Saturday Night Live alums bought the five-bedroom, five bathroom Mediterranean-style house with a terra cotta tile roof some time in the early 1990s. The home is worth around $15million today.
Hall, 66, and Louis-Dreyfus, 63 – who raised their sons, Henry, 32, and Charlie, 27, there – have not made any statements regarding the loss of their beloved home.
But both of their sons shared screen grabs from the local news in their Instagram Stories thanking firefighters for their efforts.
The house next door to the couple miraculously survived the flames, as well as some houses across the street.
CANDY SPELLING
Candy Spelling has tragically lost her Malibu beach house in the devastating California wildfires that have swept through Los Angeles.
The 79-year-old widow of late TV producer Aaron Spelling and mother of actress Tori Spelling now joins a growing list of Hollywood elites who have seen their homes destroyed as the fires continue to ravage the area.
At least five people have died, and nearly 130,000 are under evacuation orders, with many celebrities among those affected by the fires.
Spelling’s 7-bedroom oceanside retreat, which sat on an 8,000-square-foot property along 81 feet of La Costa Beach, is now reduced to rubble and ash, with little more than a scorched fence remaining as the only trace of what was once a stunning home.
‘I’m in shock and processing this massive loss for our family. I am beyond grateful for the memories. It was truly a wonderful gift to have,’ Candy told TMZ on Thursday.
She added that her late husband had ‘loved’ the home.
Last year, Spelling had listed the home for $23 million but later took it off the market.
Candy’s close friend, Josh Flagg, also spoke to TMZ, saying, ‘I’m devastated. I have so many memories in this house. The house is gone but the memories are not.
‘This is a total shame. This entire fire is a shame. This did not need to happen.’
JOSHUA JACKSON
Joshua Jackson’s $2million home in Topanga Canyon was burned down to the ground by the devastating Los Angeles wildfires.
The day after the ash and rubble was photographed of what remains of his multi-story abode, he assured his fans that he and his family were ‘OK’ despite being displaced.
‘First and most importantly, all the people closest to me affected by the fire are ok,’ the 46-year-old actor said in a statement his rep shared with Deadline.
‘My daughter, my family, my neighbors all made it out safely,’ he shared.
He then confirmed that he lost his childhood home, which he purchased in 2001, to the catastrophic Palisades Fire, which erupted in southern California on Tuesday.
Jackson joins a number of other celebrities who lost their homes in the fires, which have killed at least 16 people.
‘Sadly my beautiful home did not survive the fires. But today, I feel incredibly lucky to be surrounded by the people I love,’ the Dawson’s Creek star shared.
In photos obtained by DailyMail.com on Saturday, a pile of charred remnants showing what used to be Jackson’s home was captured.
Portions of his backyard and swimming pool were still intact while the hills surrounding the area where the house once stood were barren after the blaze ravaged the area.
It was at that same house where the Doctor Odyssey had previously spent his early childhood before moving back to Canada at the age of eight after his parent divorced.
He purchased the property over two decades ago and was living there with his four-year-old daughter Juno Rose Diana, whom he shares with his ex-wife Jodie-Turner Smith.
Back in 2021, he spoke about purchasing the property where he previously lived as a young child in a sentimental, full circle moment.
‘My father unfortunately was not a good father or a husband and exited the scene,’ he told Mr Porter in July 2021.
He continued: ‘But that house in Topanga was where everything felt simple, so it was a very healing thing for me to do.’
JEN ATKIN & MIKE ROSENTHAL
Kim Kardashian’s former hairstylist Jen Atkin is among the celebrities who have lost their homes in the horrific ongoing Los Angeles fires.
Jen, 44, took to her Instagram to share the devastating news with her 5.3 million followers.
The hair entrepreneur shared a photo that she explained was ‘our sweet neighborhood just last week,’ showing a picturesque view across the water with a broken heart emoji.
The Glamour columnist then shared the same picture of the coastline devastated by the raging blaze.
‘This is weird to post but our house is gone,’ Jen wrote, as she was seen crying with her dog on her lap while her husband, fashion photographer Mike Rosenthal, drove them to evacuate the area.
‘We just got confirmation,’ Jen continued.
‘Our whole area demolished. So many are displaced and feeling scared right now it’s almost too much to comprehend.
‘We’re going to be ok. We always push through,’ Jen said in her message to her worried followers. ‘I love you guys thanks for the warm blanket of love today.’
RICKI LAKE
Ricki Lake shared a heartbreaking post on Wednesday to reveal that she and husband Ross Burningham lost their ‘dream home’ in the devastating Pacific Palisades fire.
The Hairspray actress, 56, took to her main Instagram page to express that the ‘loss is immeasurable’ and described the Los Angeles wildfire as an ‘apocalyptic event.’
Along with a collage of 20 photos of her home, Lake emotionally penned to her followers, ‘It’s all gone.
‘I can’t believe I am typing these words. After a valiant and brave effort by our friend and hero @kirbykotler_ Ross and I lost our dream home.’
Ricki added, ‘This description “dream home” doesn’t suffice. It was our heaven on earth. The place where we planned to grow old together.’
‘We never took our heavenly spot on the bluff overlooking our beloved malibu for granted, not even for one second. I shared our sunset views almost daily with all of you.’
‘This loss is immeasurable,’ she wrote, adding that the home was also, ‘the spot where we got married 3 years ago.’
‘I grief along with all of those suffering during this apocalyptic event. Praying for all of my neighbors, my friends, my community, the animals, the firefighters and first responders.’
Lake typed that both she and Ross ‘escaped’ with their dog named Dolly but ‘not much else.’ The actress shared she will later share more but ‘for now I grieve.’
PARIS HILTON
Paris Hilton, 43, said she watched her waterfront Malibu home burn to the ground on live television in an emotional social media post Wednesday.
‘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,’ the socialite said on X/Twitter, accompanied by a clip from KABC depicting the damage.
Hilton bundled her ‘babies’, her five Pomeranians, into the back of her car as she fled her Malibu mansion in the middle of the night.
She shared a clip of her animals all gathered together on the backseat as she described running around her home to find each of her pets.
She said: ‘Okay we found everyone – we are packing up the car and getting ready to go to the hotel.
ANNA FARIS
Anna Faris, 48, also lost her $5million mansion during the devastating Pacific Palisades fire.
The 4,000 square foot home, which she snapped up for almost $5M in 2019, was seen charred to its foundation in new images.
Every wall of the massive property was in ashes as it was difficult to make out the basic structure of the dwelling.
All that was still standing were some mature trees that lined the property, though their leaves were burned off.
The outline of her swimming pool could be seen, but it seemed to have no water in it as it must have evaporated during the blaze.
There was no car in the driveway or outside the home which hints it was fully evacuated before the fire swept down the street.
Faris purchased the home after she split from Jurassic World actor Chris Pratt.
MILES & KELEIGH TELLER
Top Gun: Maverick star Miles Teller and his wife Keleigh bought their dream home for $7.5million in April 2023. The home is now entirely wiped out.
Shocking pictures show a car parked in the driveway was also completely charred.
Keleigh had shared several photos on Instagram overnight, the first being a dramatic photo of the blaze with a crying emoji, and the second urging evacuees to leave bowls of water on the streets for animals as they escaped.
The couple have not yet commented on the loss of their own home.
The sprawling five bed, seven bath home was built in 2015, equipped with a movie theatre, gym and custom staircase.
It is understood the property was purchased as a ‘secondary residence.’
EUGENE LEVY
American Pie star Eugene Levy’s home has also been leveled.
The 78-year-old Schitt’s Creek star lost his home in LA’s Pacific Palisades neighborhood after the rapidly spreading Westside fire burned it to the ground.
On Tuesday, he told the Los Angeles Times that he had been caught in gridlock traffic as he tried to evacuate the neighborhood ahead of the flames.
Levy had reportedly purchased his property back in 2006 for a relatively modest $3.9 million, according to Urban Splatter.
The two-story home featured three bedrooms and three baths and was spread out over 2,081 square feet.
It reportedly dated back to 1950 and featured an attached garage, as well as an elegant set of curving steps leading up from the driveway to the front door.
Despite being small by celebrity standards, the home still boasted lovely touches like tasteful trees and shrubs providing some privacy at the front of the house.
But all that has been reduced to a pile of smoldering rubble now.
ANTHONY HOPKINS
Anthony Hopkins has lost his home in the devastating California wildfires that have swept through Los Angeles.
The legendary actor, 87, purchased a stunning four-bedroom, five-bathroom home in the Pacific Palisades area for $6 million in 2021, but it has now been reduced to ash.
Photos reveal the charred remains of the classic colonial home, with little more than a scorched fence standing as the only trace of what was once a beautiful property.
The house purchase was a fresh start for the Oscar-winning actor, who had just sold his long-time Malibu oceanfront place for $10.5 million — more than double what he paid for it back in 2001.
Unfortunately, this is not the first time Hopkins’s home faced devastating flames.
Back in November 2018, his home narrowly escaped the Woolsey fire, which burned down his neighbor’s property.
Going even further back to 2000, Hopkins lost his London home in a fire too, but fortunately, he was safe in Los Angeles at the time.
JOHN GOODMAN
John Goodman’s $4.6M home has also been reduced to ashes amid the devastating Pacific Palisades wildfires.
Photos of the Roseanne alum’s, 72, former residence show not even a single room left standing.
The latest images, taken on Wednesday, captured the blackened remains of the swimming pool in the backyard after the blaze.
He purchased the Pacific Palisades in 2008 for $4.6 million. The spacious house formerly boasted five bedrooms and five bathrooms, offering a generous 5,250 square feet of living space.
It’s unclear if the home was recently occupied, as Goodman primarily resides in New Orleans, Louisiana with wife Anna Beth Goodman, to whom he’s been married to since 1989. The pair share daughter Molly Evangeline Goodman, born in 1990.
Goodman has not yet issued a public statement addressing the fire.
BILLY CRYSTAL
Nothing remains of Billy Crystal’s palatial home beyond the tennis courts.
Aerial images show the tennis court almost entirely unmarked, despite the wreck right beside it.
He and his wife Janice released a statement confirming the loss.
‘Janice and I lived in our home since 1979,’ Crystal wrote.
‘We raised our children and grandchildren here. Every inch of our house was filled with love. Beautiful memories that can’t be taken away.
‘We are heartbroken of course but with the love of our children and friends we will get through this.’
ADAM BRODY & LEIGHTON MEESTER
Actors Adam Brody and Leighton Meester’s $7million mansion is among the 1,000 structures which have been destroyed due to the wildfires.
The couple purchased the five bedroom home in 2019, but pictures show the property now engulfed in flames.
The Nobody Wants This star, 45, and Gossip Girl actress, 38, were last pictured in public at Sunday’s Golden Globe Awards, less than two days before the fires broke out.
They lived at the 6,000 square foot home with their two young daughters.
SPENCER PRATT & HEIDI MONTAG
Reality stars Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag confirmed their home has also been lost.
Pratt, 41, was captured in photos as he watched the rapidly advancing fire move toward his home.
Montag was inconsolable as she filmed herself sobbing on Snapchat early Wednesday morning.
‘I have no words… I’m so thankful that we’re safe,’ she said as her youngest son Ryker, two, comforted her.
‘I’m so sad our house is gone. I wish I could have gone back and got more,’ she continued through tears.
‘I didn’t think it would be the last time we would be in our house. I’m so sad for everyone else going through the same thing.’
The couple and their two sons were able to safely evacuate earlier in the day before the flames got too close.
MILO VENTIMIGLIA
Milo Ventimiglia, 47, lost the Malibu home where he and his pregnant wife Jarah Mariano, 41, had been excitedly preparing to raise their baby.
On Thursday, he went back to the area to check out the aftermath of the natural disaster.
He also spoke to CBS News about how he and wife watched their home burn down to the ground in horrifying security camera footage.
Fortunately, he and his wife as well as their dog safely evacuated on Tuesday before it happened.
Ventimiglia got visibly emotional talking about their loss — which included the crib and ‘everything [that] was set up’ for the arrival of their first child together.
About seeing their home burn down with their own eyes, he talked about how difficult it was for them to process.
‘I think there’s a shock moment where you go, this is real and this is happening. Then, at some point, you just turn it off. What good is it to continue watching?’
Eventually, while watching the live footage, he said: ‘We kind of accepted the loss.’
After the fire in the area was put out, he returned to the area two days later.
He knew his house was gone but to stand there in person he said it felt ‘heavy.’
‘You start thinking about all the memories in different parts of the house and what not,’ the Gilmore Girls alum explained.
BOZOMA SAINT JOHN
The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills star Bozoma Saint John has revealed she lost her Malibu home to the wildfires ravaging Los Angeles.
Beginning on Tuesday, the area was struck by its worst windstorms in over a decade, fueling fires that have destroyed thousands of structures and claimed at least five lives over the past three days.
About 130,000 people are under evacuation orders or warnings, as the authorities prepare to send out K-9 units trained to detect human remains in the wreckage.
One blaze in the Pacific Palisades has consumed a number of celebrity homes, including residences owned by Paris Hilton, Jeff Bridges, Anthony Hopkins, John Goodman, James Woods, Miles Teller, Tina Knowles and Anna Faris.
Now Saint John, who served as chief marketing officer at Netflix from 2020 to 2022, has announced that her residence was also devoured by the Pacific Palisades fire.
The executive-turned-reality star reportedly purchased the 2,501 square foot house for $5.2 million in 2021, according to Redfin and Traded.
CAMERON MATHISON
General Hospital star Cameron Mathison’s LA home was also razed in the fires.
The actor, 55, shared a shocking video of the still-flaming rubble of his former home in Pasadena, California which was destroyed in the Eaton wildfire as the Pacific Palisades blaze continues to spread.
Ash and flames were seen in the background, with the exterior structure of the home barely standing. Rubble and brick, as well as a ladder, was seen strewn about the property,
Mathison wrote: ‘We are safe But this is what’s left of our beautiful home. Our home where our kids were raised and where they wanted to raise their own someday.
‘Thanks to all who reached out and checked in. Can’t respond to all so wanted to give an update here. Sending so many prayers to everyone being affected by these fires.’
Mathison and now estranged wife Vanessa Arevalo lived in the home with their two children. The All My Children star bought the house in 2012 with Arevalo for for $1.672 million.
Speaking on Good Morning America on Thursday, he said he managed to make it out with only the clothes he was wearing.
He said: ‘I’ve been up all night. I can’t sleep. I’ve lost my home and everything that I own. I have this hoodie and a pair of pants and two pairs of sneakers left. That’s it.
‘This was not just a house. This was every single corner and tile and light fixture was picked out over a decade and half we were there.’
COBIE SMULDERS
Cobie Smulders also tragically lost her home in the Pacific Palisades fire.
The fire started on the side of the house and within minutes engulfed the entire property, despite efforts from fire fighters to contain the blaze.
The How I Met Your Mother star, 42, and her husband, Taran Killam, bought the $5.6 million residence in 2017 and spent a year renovating it.
The home boasted five bedrooms and six bathrooms.
In a 2018 interview with Architectural Digest, she revealed that solar panels were her biggest splurge for the house, and that she also added in a 40-year-old photo booth.
TINA KNOWLES
Beyoncé’s mother Tina Knowles also revealed that she lost her oceanfront bungalow in Malibu to the catastrophic wildfires – just days after she celebrated her 71st birthday there.
‘It was my favorite place, my sanctuary , my sacred Happy Place . Now it is gone !!’ she wrote on Instagram, before thanking first responders for their dedication and paying tribute to those who lost their lives in the blaze.
Her message was accompanied by a video of the ocean view from her bungalow, with what appeared to be dolphins briefly surfacing over the waves.
‘This is what I was looking at on my birthday this past weekend from my tiny little bungalow on the water in Malibu!’
Gilmore Girls star Milo Ventimiglia, RHOBH newcomer Bozoma Saint John and Sandra Lee, the former First Lady of New York, are also among the Malibu residents whose homes were destroyed in the blaze.
Most of the affected celebrity homes appear to be in the eastern side of the Pacific Palisades, including Eugene Levy, Billy Crystal and Anna Faris’s properties.
On the west side of the Palisades, Leighton Meester and husband Adam Brody’s family home has burned to ashes as well as that of basketball plater Kawhi Leonard.
Meanwhile, Steve Guttenberg’s house up on The Summit area of the Palisades was also surrounded by the raging wildfires, but was miraculously spared.
BRAD PAISLEY
Country star Brad Paisley, 52, has also revealed that his former Palisades mansion burnt to the ground in the blaze last week.
The property was the first home that he and his wife Kimberly Williams-Paisley, whom he married in 2003, shared together.
‘We lived in Pacific Palisades for years. It was the first house Kim and I bought together. Memories were made with some of our dearest friends- the first nursery we had to prep, the birthing classes,’ Paisley wrote in a heartfelt Instagram post.
‘Walking to the local restaurants, the Gelson’s, and the Starbucks.’
He and Williams-Paisley currently live in Nashville, Tennessee. They have two sons Huck, 17, and Jasper, 15.
JEFF BRIDGES
Jeff Bridges has tragically lost his family’s iconic Malibu home to the catastrophic wildfires that have been ravaging Los Angeles.
The 75-year-old Oscar winner now joins a growing list of Hollywood figures whose homes have been destroyed as the fires claim at least five lives and force 130,000 evacuations.
The 4-bedroom beachfront estate, once owned by Jeff’s parents—legendary Hollywood actors Lloyd and Dorothy Bridges—was a cherished family legacy, as reported by TMZ.
The stunning property was passed down to Jeff, his Golden Globe-winning brother Beau Bridges, 83, and their actress sister Cindy Bridges.
However, the siblings did not use the home as a primary residence, and by 2018, it was being rented out for $16,000 a month, according to the LA Times.
In May, Jeff purchased a stunning Santa Barbara estate for $8.15 million, after selling over three acres of land in the Malibu hills for $850,000 in 2019, per the outlet.
MELLISA RIVERS
Melissa Rivers revealed that she was able to save her late mother Joan Rivers’ Emmy before losing her Pacific Palisades home in the devastating L.A. fires.
The TV personality, 56, opened up to CNN on Wednesday as she reflected on the heartbreaking loss of her home and expressed that the affluent town has been ‘wiped off the map.’
Joan Rivers – who passed away in 2014 at the age of 81 – won the Daytime Emmy Award in 1990 for Outstanding Talk Show Host for The Joan Rivers Show.
‘I kind of had a mental checklist. I made sure that we got passports, birth certificates, medication, clothing,’ Melissa told the outlet.
The star recalled that she had been ‘out shopping for clothes’ before being evacuated from her residence in the Palisades. ‘It started to hit me, we literally just had what was on our backs.’
She wrote, ‘My family and I have safely evacuated, and we are deeply grateful to be unharmed.’
‘I am heartbroken by the devastation caused by the fires, which have tragically destroyed my home.’
‘I want to express my profound gratitude to the courageous firefighters and first responders who are tirelessly risking their lives to protect our communities and save lives,’ Rivers concluded.
Melissa had notably purchased the home in the Pacific Palisades nearly four years ago in 2021 for $7.7 million, per Architectural Digest.
The two-story house had consisted of five bedrooms as well as five and a half baths.
In the backyard was a swimming pool, spa area and also an outdoor fireplace.
Melissa had previously owned a separate property in the Palisades – which she sold in 2019 for around $5.2 million.
CARY ELWES
On Thursday, Cary Elwes, 62, said that he and his family are safe, but ‘sadly we did lose our home.’
The Princess Bride actor added: ‘Our hearts go out to all the families impacted by this tragic event and we also wish to extend our gratitude to all the firefighters, first responders and law enforcement who work tirelessly through the night and are still at it.’
Prior to sharing the sad news, he posted a horrific video of bright orange and smoke-filled skies as the brutal blaze continues on.
‘Evacuation from Malibu 10.30pm PST #Biblical,’ he wrote.
DIANE WARREN
Legendary songwriter Diane Warren announced Wednesday that her beach house of nearly 30 years was destroyed in the wildfires raging across Southern California.
The 68-year-old veteran hitmaker posted a photograph of a prominent rock in the surf, which she photographs annually to commemorate the death of her ‘awesome insane friend’ Leah from cancer.
‘This is the last pic I took of Leah’s rock from my beach house. I’ve had this house for almost 30 years. It looks like it was lost in the fire last [night],’ Diane wrote on Instagram.
‘There’s a rainbow shining on it which I’m taking as a sign of hope for all creatures who have been affected by this tragedy.’
Warren also reassured her 249K social media followers that the chickens, ducks, goats, cows, and horses living at her rescue ranch ‘are okay, which is the most important thing. Stay safe everyone.’
JAMES WOODS
Oscar-nominated actor James Woods shared footage of a home two blocks from his property that was completely set alight.
He fled the Palisades with his family as the fast-moving wildfire tore through and is unclear what remains of his own property after the evacuation.
Woods also declared that he and many of his neighbors no longer have insurance after a ‘major company’ supposedly canceled many of the policies four months ago.
MARK HAMILL
Star Wars actor Mark Hamill revealed he was bundled out of his Malibu home in a ‘last-minute’ evacuation on Tuesday night.
He said ‘small fires’ burned on ‘both sides of the road’ as he approached the Pacific Coast Highway and called the blaze the ‘most horrific fire’ since 1993.
STEVE KERR
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr revealed that the wildfires burning through the Los Angeles area destroyed his childhood home and high school.
The Palisades Fire continues to wreak havoc on Los Angeles County. The house where he grew up and his mother, Ann Kerr, still resides is one of the countless structures destroyed so far.
Speaking to the media earlier this week, Kerr revealed how hard it has been to see the calamity wipe through his hometown.
It’s been tough,’ Kerr shared. ‘My family’s fine. My mom is in good hands, but her house is gone. So I’ve been on the phone with my siblings quite a bit.’
‘You know, family calls with my mom,’ he continued. ‘But she’s got a lot of support and friends, so she’s safe and sound. But you know, that’s my home town. All my friends who are from there, pretty much, they’ve all lost their homes.’
Kerr attended Palisades Charter High School and said the fires have engulfed the school. However, he is glad that his family, friends, and most members of the community are safe.
KAWHI LEONARD
NBA star Kawhi Leonard said yesterday he was ‘stepping away’ from the Los Angeles Clippers to help family that had been evacuated due to the Pacific Palisades wildfire hours before the team’s game against the Nuggets.
Leonard has been with the Clippers since 2019 and is an integral part of the squad, which is in seventh place in the Western Conference.
TMZ reported yesterday that Leonard was among those whose homes were spared from the devastating wildfires, as his Pacific Palisades home remains intact.
Images shared by TMZ showed his home on Wednesday seemingly unharmed, although a layer of ash appeared to cover a small part of the house.
On Thursday, the home reportedly remained in the same condition.
JHENE AIKO
The singer revealed that her Pacific Palisade home has burned down in the LA fire in a heartbreaking Instagram post.
The 36-year-old wrote: ‘me and my children’s home is gone [heartbreak emoji] burned to the ground with all of our things inside.
‘Lord have mercy [prayer hands emoji] Thankful we still have each other [blue heart emoji] starting from scratch. My heart is so heavy [heartbreak emoji].’
Jhene is a mother of two as she has a 16-year-old daughter named Namiko Love Browner with ex O’Ryan and a two-year-old son Noah Hasani with current beau Big Sean.
The Stay Ready hitmaker has been in an on-off relationship with the 36-year-old rapper – born Sean Michael Leonard Anderson – since 2016.
She began her message on Instagram by writing: ‘praying for everyone this morning.
‘those who lost their home, those who lost their life’s work, those who lost their life. praying for my city. praying for the wild life and lost pets. praying for the world [blue heart emoji]’.
On Tuesday the talented singer shared an Instagram story ‘praying for our house and our community’. She also thanked ‘God for your grace so far’.
Jhene had purchased the Pacific Palisades mansion for $5.6million in July 2023.
The 436-square-feet home was two stories with five bedrooms, five bathrooms and was originally built in the 1980s.
MOLLY SIMS
An inconsolable Molly Sims shared on social media on Wednesday that her neighborhood had gone up in flames.
‘Wanted to give everyone an update,’ she said as she wiped away her tears
‘Our community is beyond devastated. We are all pulling together. A lot of my friends have lost their home[s]. I’m waiting to see if our home will be there. Right now it’s just a waiting game. But I just want you to know I appreciate all the texts and DMs,’ she added.
There have been no updates on the status of her home, but the actress has been sharing resources on how to help the community on her Instagram story.
JJ REDICK
Lakers coach JJ Redick and his young family have had their Pacific Palisades home burned down during the Los Angeles fires.
The NBA has also decided to postpone tonight’s game between the Lakers and Charlotte Hornets.
Redick said Wednesday that his family had already evacuated from the Pacific Palisades area, explaining: ‘Our family, my wife’s family, my wife’s twin sister, they’ve evacuated. I know a lot of people are freaking out right now, including my family.’
ALABAMA BARKER
Travis Barker’s daughter Alabama frantically asked her fans for prayers on social media last night as she revealed that newly sparked fires in Calabasas, California, were threatening her safety.
Alabama — who previously revealed she and her brother Landon Barker had been forced to evacuate — shared frightening videos to her Instagram stories on Thursday of a wall of gray smoke rising in the air over Calabasas.
The tony city in Los Angles County — where both her father and stepmother Kourtney Kardashian have mansions — is bordered on the south by Malibu, which has been in flames from the fires.
‘Please pray for our home! It’s right behind us,’ Alabama wrote in a stark text post against a black background accompanying the sinister videos.
The clip was shot from the other side of the street and included part of Kourtney’s driveway.
SANDRA LEE
Sandra Lee revealed she lost her home in the Palisades wildfire – like many other celebrities – and has bravely vowed to rebuild it.
The 58-year-old television star took to her Instagram on Wednesday to share a tearful update on the status of her home.
Sandra held back tears as she shared a self-taken video which began: ‘Thank you for all your well wishes.
‘I’m in a hotel. I don’t have a home anymore. My house is gone. It’s literally gone. I’ve been crying all night. Thank God everybody is safe.’
The former First Lady of New York got emotional as she went on to reflect on the things she has lost due to the raging wildfires.
MARIA SHRIVER
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s ex wife and former First Lady of California Maria Shriver shared a devastating update driving through her community on Wednesday.
She shared footage of the charred remains of homes, an entire street leveled with nothing left.
‘Heartbreaking, devastating, beyond belief. Everything is gone. Our neighborhood, our restaurants,’ she wrote.
‘All our friends have lost everything. We have evacuated, but are safe. But people have lost everything.’
BEN AFFLECK
Ben Affleck raced to his ex-wife Jennifer Garner’s home after being evacuated from the devastating California wildfires.
Affleck, 52, lives a short distance from his ex-wife, with whom he shares three children.
He rushed over to their home to collect the family and all have since escaped to safety, sources told DailyMail.com.
Affleck purchased a $20million palatial mansion in Pacific Palisades just five months ago, after separating from J-Lo.
It is unclear whether the house survived the inferno.
After a weekend spent blocking the explosive growth of fires that destroyed thousands of homes and killed at least 24 people in the Los Angeles area, firefighters got a slight break with calmer weather but cast a wary eye on a forecast for yet more wind.
Should that happen, already burned homes and valleys could flare anew, sending embers to unburned territory miles downwind. New fires could add to the complication.
The death toll surged late Sunday with an update from the Los Angeles County medical examiner. At least 16 people were missing, a number authorities said was also likely to rise.
The relative calm Sunday allowed some people to return to previously evacuated areas, however.
The National Weather Service issued red flag warnings for severe fire conditions through Wednesday, with sustained winds of 50mph and gusts in the mountains reaching 70mph. The most dangerous day will be Tuesday, warned fire behavior analyst Dennis Burns at a community meeting Sunday night.
‘It will kind of ebb and flow over the next couple days,’ Burns said. ‘Tomorrow night, it will really ramp up.’
Spotting – new fires caused by blowing embers – could happen as much as 2 miles or more downwind of areas that have already burned, Burns said.
Despite their recent losses, stress, and uncertainty, the crowd in a Pasadena City College gym was mostly respectful, in contrast with harsh criticism elsewhere for Los Angeles and California leaders. Applause followed each of the experts, police, firefighters and community leaders who spoke.
Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony C. Marrone said 70 additional water trucks arrived to help firefighters fend off flames spread by renewed gusts. ‘We are prepared for the upcoming wind event,’ Marrone said.
Fire retardant dropped by aircraft will act as a barrier along hillsides, officials said.
Fierce Santa Ana winds have been largely blamed for turning the wildfires sparked last week into infernos that leveled entire neighborhoods around the city where there has been no significant rainfall in more than eight months.
Twelve people were missing within the Eaton Fire zone and four were missing from the Palisades Fire, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said. Investigators were reconciling whether some of the missing might be among the dead but so far no children were among those reported missing, he said.
Meanwhile, the death toll rose to 24 over the weekend. Eight deaths were attributed to the Palisades Fire and 16 to the Eaton Fire, according to the Los Angeles County coroner’s office.
The toll could rise still more as cadaver dogs conducted systematic searches in leveled neighborhoods. Authorities established a center where people could report the missing.
Officials also were building an online database to allow evacuated residents to see if their homes were damaged or destroyed. In the meantime, LA city Fire Chief Kristin Crowley urged people to stay away from scorched neighborhoods.
‘There are still active fires that are burning within the Palisades area, making it extremely, extremely dangerous for the public,’ Crowley said at a Sunday morning briefing. ‘There’s no power, there’s no water, there’s broken gas lines, and we have unstable structures.’
Officials warned the ash can contain lead, arsenic, asbestos and other harmful materials.
About 150,000 people in Los Angeles County remained under evacuation orders, with more than 700 residents taking refuge in nine shelters, Luna said. Officials said most of the orders in the Palisades area were unlikely to be lifted before the red flag warnings expire Wednesday evening.
‘Please rest assured that first thing Thursday we will begin talking about repopulation,’ Marrone said.
In all, four fires had consumed more than 62 square miles, an area larger than San Francisco.
Crews from California and nine other states are part of the ongoing response that includes nearly 1,400 fire engines, 84 aircraft and more than 14,000 personnel, including newly arrived firefighters from Mexico.
After a fierce battle Saturday, firefighters managed to fight back flames in Mandeville Canyon, home to Arnold Schwarzenegger and other celebrities near Pacific Palisades not far from the coast, where swooping helicopters dumped water as the blaze charged downhill.
The fire ran through chaparral-covered hillsides and also briefly threatened to jump over Interstate 405 and into densely populated areas in the Hollywood Hills and San Fernando Valley.
Looting continued to be a concern, with authorities reporting more arrests as the devastation grew. Those arrested included two people who posed as firefighters going into houses, Los Angeles Police Department Capt. Michael Lorenz said.
With California National Guard troops on hand to guard properties, Gov. Gavin Newsom posted on X: ‘California will NOT allow for looting.’
The fires that began Tuesday just north of downtown LA have burned more than 12,300 structures. Early estimates suggest they could be the nation’s costliest ever, as much as $150billion according to an AccuWeather estimate.
No cause for the largest fires was determined.
Evidence reviewed by The Washington Post suggests that the Palisades inferno was ignited in the same spot where fire crews put out flames a week before – and residents claim their response the second time was much slower.
A week before that blaze broke out, firefighters were called to the Pacific Palisades shortly after midnight on New Year’s Day to a small brush fire residents claim was started by fireworks.
The blaze, called the Lachman Fire, was held at eight acres and reported contained at 4.46am., according to the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD).
Satellite imagery obtained by the Post identified a burn scar of the New Year’s Eve fire. Additional imagery taken on Tuesday when the Palisades Fire broke out indicates that the origin of the smoke overlapped with the burn scar.
Meanwhile, energy company Edison International is being investigated over a possible link to one of the wildfires. The $25billion firm said it discovered a downed conductor at a tower close to where the Hurst Fire broke out on Tuesday evening following an intense Santa Ana windstorm.
However, Edison said it doesn’t know whether the damage happened before or after the fire, which has so far burned through almost 800 acres of land.
The conductor was found at the Eagle Rock Sylmar 220 kV circuit, the company said in a press release on Sunday, adding that the findings were preliminary.
So far there has been no official indication of arson in the blaze, although LAPD had made an arrest after a man allegedly attempted to light a fire in the Woodland Hills neighborhood.
After reviewing evidence and interviewing the suspect, police determined they did not have probable cause to arrest the man on charges related to any of the wildfires.
Along with crews from other states and Mexico, hundreds of inmates from California’s prison system were also helping fight the fires. Nearly 950 prison firefighters were removing timber and brush ahead of the fires to slow their spread, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
The practice is controversial as the inmates are paid little for dangerous and difficult work: $10.24 each day, with more for 24-hour shifts, according to the corrections department.
Newsom issued an executive order Sunday aimed at fast-tracking rebuilding by suspending some environmental regulations and ensuring that property tax assessments were not increased.
‘We’ve got to let people know that we have their back,’ he said. ‘We want you to come back, rebuild, and rebuild with higher quality building standards, more modern standards.’
More than 24,000 people had registered for federal assistance made available by a major disaster declaration by President Joe Biden, according to the White House.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said Sunday that she had spoken with President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming administration and expected that he would visit the city.
Bass faces a critical test of her leadership during the city’s greatest crisis in decades, but allegations of leadership failures, political blame and investigations have begun.
Newsom on Friday ordered state officials to determine why a 117 million-gallon (440 million-liter) reservoir was out of service and some hydrants had run dry.