LOS ANGELES: Strong winds have sparked fast-moving wildfires in the Pacific Palisades, forcing the evacuation of wealthy coastal neighborhoods. Many residents, including famous Hollywood actors and entertainment professionals, were forced to leave their homes.
By Tuesday morning, January 7, at least 30,000 people were ordered to evacuate as the wildfire quickly grew from 20 acres to more than 3,000 acres in just a few hours. The area, located west of Los Angeles, is home to many A-list celebrities, including Tom Hanks, James Woods, Reese Witherspoon, Adam Sandler, Steve Guttenberg and Michael Keaton.
Actor James Woods shared video of the fire on social media, showing thick smoke and flames near his property. “We are safe and out,” he wrote on X. Woods emphasized the community’s efforts to safely evacuate children from local elementary schools.
Steve Guttenberg, famous for his role in Police Academy, actively helped officials manage the situation. Speaking to a local news channel, he urged people fleeing to leave their car keys in their cars to create space for fire trucks.
“People get their keys like they’re in the parking lot,” Guttenberg said. He also mentioned that traffic on Palisades Drive is making it impossible for some families and pets to evacuate.
Reality TV stars Pratt and Montague, known from The hillswere also evacuated from their home in Los Angeles 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 The Wolfman (produced by Ryan Gosling), were canceled due to the fire.
California Governor Gavin Newsom confirmed that “many structures” were destroyed in the wildfire. The Eaton Fire in the San Gabriel Mountains above Pasadena also grew to 400 acres on Tuesday.
President Joe Biden was briefed on the situation and pledged federal assistance, providing any assistance necessary to combat the devastating blaze.
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