Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Celebrities Among Thousands Evacuated in Los Angeles Fires
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 21 hours ago on
January 8, 2025

Hollywood stars among thousands evacuated as wildfires rage through Los Angeles' Pacific Palisades neighborhood. (AP/Ethan Swope)

Share

LOS ANGELES — Wildfires that ripped through the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles forced many Hollywood stars, including Mark Hamill, Mandy Moore and James Woods, to evacuate their homes.

California firefighters are battling wind-whipped fires tearing across the area, destroying homes, clogging roadways as tens of thousands fled and straining resources as the fires burned uncontained early Wednesday.

The Pacific Palisades neighborhood is a hillside area along the coast dotted with celebrity residences and memorialized by the Beach Boys in their 1960s hit “Surfin’ USA.” In the frantic haste to get to safety, roadways became impassable when scores of people abandoned their vehicles and fled on foot, some toting suitcases.

“Evacuated Malibu so last minute,” wrote Hamill in an Instagram post Tuesday night. “Small fires on both sides of the road as we approached (the Pacific Coast Highway).”

Stars who have homes in the area include Adam Sandler, Ben Affleck, Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg.

Thousands Under Evacuation Orders

Officials didn’t give an estimate of structures damaged or destroyed in the wildfire, but they said about 30,000 residents were under evacuation orders and more than 13,000 structures were under threat.

The fire burned down Temescal Canyon, a popular hiking area surrounded by dense neighborhoods of multimillion-dollar homes. Flames jumped famous Sunset Boulevard and burned parts of the Palisades Charter High School, which has been featured in many Hollywood productions including the 1976 horror movie “Carrie,” the 2003 remake of “Freaky Friday” and the TV series “Teen Wolf.”

Celebrities Share Evacuation Experiences

Woods posted footage Tuesday of flames burning through bushes and past palm trees on a hill near his home. The towering orange flames billowed among the landscaped yards between the homes.

“Standing in my driveway, getting ready to evacuate,” Woods said in the short video on X. Later, he added: “It tests your soul, losing everything at once, I must say.”

Mandy Moore wrote early morning on Instagram, “Evacuated and safe with kids, dogs and cats. Praying and grateful for the first responders.”

Film studios canceled two movie premieres due to the fire and windy weather, and the Los Angeles Unified School District said it temporarily relocated students from three campuses in the Pacific Palisades area.

RELATED TOPICS:

DON'T MISS

Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito Says He Spoke With Trump on Tuesday

DON'T MISS

Ex-FBI Informant Who Fabricated Bribery Story About Biden and His Son Hunter Gets 6 Years in Prison

DON'T MISS

Monstrous Wildfires Blanket California With Smoky Air, Threatening the Health of Millions

DON'T MISS

Promises to Cut CA’s High Living Costs Clash With Progressive Policies

DON'T MISS

Merced Police to Increase Security at MLK Parade, Following New Orleans Terrorist Attack

DON'T MISS

California’s Historic Ranch, Motel Among Losses in Palisades Fire

DON'T MISS

Gov. Newsom’s Office Slams Trump’s Water and Wildfire Claims as ‘Pure Fiction’

DON'T MISS

Chaos Reigns at Fresno GOP as Two Leaders Are Voted In

DON'T MISS

Wired Wednesday: Garry Bredefeld Reveals 9 Goals On First Day as Supervisor

DON'T MISS

Pacific Palisades Fire Is Most Destructive in LA History

UP NEXT

California’s Historic Ranch, Motel Among Losses in Palisades Fire

UP NEXT

Gov. Newsom’s Office Slams Trump’s Water and Wildfire Claims as ‘Pure Fiction’

UP NEXT

Pacific Palisades Fire Is Most Destructive in LA History

UP NEXT

Riverside County Sheriff’s Deputy Dies in On-Duty Traffic Accident

UP NEXT

What To Know About Wildfires Raining Embers Onto the Los Angeles Area

UP NEXT

Trump Blames Newsom for California’s Wildfires and Water Challenges

UP NEXT

Save Mart Center Is Among Top 100 Venues in the World

UP NEXT

Newsom Announces More Federal Aid to Battle Fires in LA County

UP NEXT

Los Angeles Wildfires Strain Water Supply, Fire Hydrants Run Dry Amid Fierce Blazes

UP NEXT

Celebrities Among Thousands Evacuated in Los Angeles Fires

Promises to Cut CA’s High Living Costs Clash With Progressive Policies

14 hours ago

Merced Police to Increase Security at MLK Parade, Following New Orleans Terrorist Attack

14 hours ago

California’s Historic Ranch, Motel Among Losses in Palisades Fire

15 hours ago

Gov. Newsom’s Office Slams Trump’s Water and Wildfire Claims as ‘Pure Fiction’

17 hours ago

Chaos Reigns at Fresno GOP as Two Leaders Are Voted In

17 hours ago

Wired Wednesday: Garry Bredefeld Reveals 9 Goals On First Day as Supervisor

18 hours ago

Pacific Palisades Fire Is Most Destructive in LA History

18 hours ago

Riverside County Sheriff’s Deputy Dies in On-Duty Traffic Accident

18 hours ago

Italian Journalist Freed From Detention in Iran, Returns Home

18 hours ago

Fresno’s Municipal Makeover: 13 Changes Made in 2024

19 hours ago

Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito Says He Spoke With Trump on Tuesday

WASHINGTON — Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito spoke with President-elect Donald Trump about a former law clerk the day before Trump went t...

14 hours ago

14 hours ago

Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito Says He Spoke With Trump on Tuesday

14 hours ago

Ex-FBI Informant Who Fabricated Bribery Story About Biden and His Son Hunter Gets 6 Years in Prison

Megan Mantia, left, and her boyfriend Thomas, only first game given, return to Mantia's fire-damaged home after the Eaton Fire swept through, Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025 in Altadena, Calif. (AP/Ethan Swope)
14 hours ago

Monstrous Wildfires Blanket California With Smoky Air, Threatening the Health of Millions

14 hours ago

Promises to Cut CA’s High Living Costs Clash With Progressive Policies

14 hours ago

Merced Police to Increase Security at MLK Parade, Following New Orleans Terrorist Attack

Will Rogers’ former ranch house was destroyed by the Palisades Fire. Photo taken on Jan. 8, 2025. (California State Parks)
15 hours ago

California’s Historic Ranch, Motel Among Losses in Palisades Fire

Gov. Gavin Newsom's office dismissed President-elect Donald Trump’s claim of a "water restoration declaration" as baseless, emphasizing wildfire response efforts. (GV Wire Composite/Anthony W. Haddad)
17 hours ago

Gov. Newsom’s Office Slams Trump’s Water and Wildfire Claims as ‘Pure Fiction’

17 hours ago

Chaos Reigns at Fresno GOP as Two Leaders Are Voted In

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend