A wildfire broke out in Los Angeles on Tuesday 7 January following the start of a Santa Ana windstorm that fueled the blaze as firefighters continue to undertake it on three different fronts.
One fire was in the Pacific Palisades, another in Eaton Canyon near a natural preserve, and a third in Sylmar, a San Fernando Valley community in the north of Los Angeles. The fires have caused at least 30,000 residents to evacuate, with many losing their homes, including known celebrities.
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Los Angeles City Council declared a state of emergency
The Los Angeles City Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson declared a state of emergency on Tuesday night after the Santa Ana windstorm hit.
He also warned that the worst of the storm is “yet to come”, according to The Daily Mail.
The fire is growing at a horrifying speed
The wildfire, which is spreading at a rate of about five football fields in a minute, has caused evacuation warnings around Malibu and Calabasas, with off-duty officers being urgently called to help out by the Los Angeles Fire Department.
At least 30,000 people have evacuated their homes, abandoning their cars and going on foot.
Pacific Palisades is home to many celebrities
Many houses in Pacific Palisades have already been reduced to rubble, with the area known for being a celebrity enclave. A museum designed in the image of an ancient Roman villa, the Getty Villa, was also threatened by the flames.
A few of the Hollywood stars who call the place home are Chris Pratt, Reese Witherspoon, and Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson.
Other celebrity homes affected
Among other celebrities whose homes have been destroyed is Ben Affleck, whose property was originally built in the 1940s. He had bought the place for $20.5M but unfortunately it was one of many blazed by the fire.
Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson’s $26M home in Pacific Palisades was also hit by the fire.
Among others is also Miles Teller
Miles Teller, the Top Gun: Maverick star and his wife, Keleigh Sperry, are also among those whose homes were caught in the fire’s course. The couple had purchased the place as recently as 2023 for $7.5M.
NBA star Kawhi Leonard’s $17M home was also affected by the fire.
One star was captured watching the flames
TV personality Spencer Pratt was captured in photos watching his and wife Heidi Montag’s home burn by the fire from afar.
The couple’s home has reportedly been completely engulfed by the fire, according to TMZ, but they were lucky to have evacuated earlier in the day with their children.
Pratt documented the moment
The reality TV star captured the moment as firefighters attempted to contain the flames with an airplane dropping water on a blazed mountain, posting the video to his Instagram stories.
In the photos taken of him watching the fire, Pratt looks distraught and taken aback by the immense loss of his home.
Firefighters are focusing on evacuation
With at least 30,000 people evacuating on foot Tuesday night, firefighters focused their efforts on getting people to safety as they continued to fight the flames that were said to be impossible to contain overnight.
The fire which has engulfed the celebrity area Pacific Palisades as well as other areas in Los Angeles is still forcing many to evacuate.
President Biden wrote on his knowledge of the fires
Late Tuesday night President Joe Biden wrote on X/Twitter stating that the FEMA approved a Fire Management Assistance Grant to support the affected areas.
“My Administration will do everything it can to support the response. I urge the residents of the Pacific Palisades and the surrounding areas of Los Angeles to stay vigilant and listen to local officials,” he wrote.
Firefighters are using all their resources
With off-duty firefighters being called to help and the Fire Department fighting the blaze on at least three fronts, firefighters have warned that they are running out of water and supplies to beat the flames.
Execution warnings continue to be issued across Los Angeles as the three major fires keep spreading as of Wednesday 8 January morning.
