‘BAD, HORRIFIC DREAM’: Celebs flee as ferocious LA wildfires turn deadly

At least two people have been killed in the Eaton fire — one of several out-of-control blazes raging across the area, authorities confirmed on Wednesday morning local time.

As four different wildfires ravage the Los Angeles area, authorities say 70,000 people are now under evacuation orders.

At least 28,000 structures are believed to be threatened by the fires.

The biggest inferno, known with the Palisades fire, rapidly spread to 500 acres — fanned by gusty winds and dry conditions — in the Santa Monica Mountains.

The blaze, which has already destroyed more than 1000 homes and other structures, is expected to intensify as a major wind storm with gusts up to 160km/h fans the flames.

As of Wednesday 9am (Thursday 4am AEDT), the Palisades Fire remains at 0 per cent containment, Los Angeles County fire officials said.

Over 1000 LA County fire personnel have been deployed to fight the blaze — the largest of the four active fires torching the area.

Frightened residents abandoned their cars on one of the only roads in and out of the upscale Pacific Palisades area packed with multimillion-dollar homes, fleeing on foot.

Firefighters used bulldozers to push dozens of vehicles — including expensive models such as BMWs, Teslas and Mercedes — to one side, leaving many crumpled and with their alarms blaring. Some celebrities posted comments and pictures on social media platforms.

“The hydrants are down,” one firefighter said over the radio, according to the Los Angeles Times.

“Water supply just dropped,” reported another one.

Former LA mayoral hopeful and billionaire developer Rick Caruso backed the claims made by the first responders as his staff reported to him from the Palisades Village in the Westside neighbourhood.

“There’s no water in the fire hydrants,” Mr Caruso told the outlet. “The firefighters are there and there’s nothing they can do — we’ve got neighbourhoods burning, homes burning, and businesses burning … It should never happen.”

More than 1400 firefighters were on the ground, with hundreds more on the way, California Governor Gavin Newsom said.

Parts of Palisades Charter High School caught fire and have been burnt as the Palisades wildfire roars through Los Angeles.

The famous high school, which touts alumni like Forest Whitaker, J.J. Abrams, and Will.i.am, has been featured in many iconic films, such as the 2003 remake of Freaky Friday starring Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis, the MTV show Teen Wolf, and the cult classic 1976 horror movie Carrie.

In addition, Palisades Charter High School was also used in 1984’s Savage Streets, 2012 film Project X, and 2001’s Crazy/Beautiful.

LA County Fire Chief Anthony C. Marrone told reporters on Wednesday morning no fatalities had reported in the Palisades Fire, but confirmed there were “a high number of significant injuries to residents who did not evacuate”.

US media reported one firefighter among several injured in the Palisades.

This is what’s left of the Pacific Palisades. The mall survived. Most everything else is gone. Homes, apartment complexes… businesses. pic.twitter.com/Vfz721V48J

— Jonathan Vigliotti 🐋 (@JonVigliotti) January 8, 2025

“Extreme fire behaviour … continues to challenge firefighting efforts for the Palisades Fire,” with winds gusts up to 60 miles (95 kilometres) per hour expected to continue through Thursday, said the LA fire department in its latest update.

Velma Wright, 102, was evacuated from a care facility as embers and flames approached in Pasadena, an AFP photographer saw, from where dozens other residents were moved.

Trees and vegetation around the prestigious Getty Villa Museum were burned, but the structure and collections were spared, the museum said in a post on X.

The Getty, set up by US oil billionaire and collector J. Paul Getty and one of the world’s richest art museums, houses Greek and Roman antiquities in a replica Roman country home.

Actor James Woods posted a video on X showing flames engulfing trees and bushes near his home as he got ready to evacuate, and shortly afterwards said all the fire alarms were going off.

“I couldn’t believe our lovely little home in the hills held on this long. It feels like losing a loved one,” Woods said.

Star Wars star Mark Hamill told his followers on Instagram that he had fled his Malibu home on Tuesday.

“Evacuated Malibu so last-minute there were small fires on both sides of the road as we approached PCH,” he wrote, referring to the Pacific Coast Highway, a scenic road that connects seafront settlements.

The Luke Skywalker actor said he and his wife Marilou York, along with a pet dog, had gone to their daughter’s Hollywood home to escape what he dubbed the “most horrific fire since ‘93”.

‘Whole place is lighting up’

Across town, on the northern edge of Los Angeles, another fire broke out in Eaton Canyon, near Pasadena, quickly consuming 2000 acres with 0 per cent containment, destroying more than 100 structures, according to Chief Marrone.

Two civilians were killed in the Eaton Fire in Los Angeles County, fire officials confirmed.

The cause of the deaths is “unknown at this time,” Mr Marrone told reporters at an update Wednesday morning local time.

Additional “significant injuries” have been reported in the fire, he said.

Mandy Moore, the singer and This Is Us actress, told followers on Instagram she had fled with her children and pets from the path of the fire.

“Trying to shield the kids from the immense sadness and worry I feel. Praying for everyone in our beautiful city. So gutted for the destruction and loss. Don’t know if our place made it,” she wrote.

The Pasadena Jewish Temple & Center was among the buildings that burned to the ground overnight in the Eaton Fire, according to Angeles National Forest officials. 

Alex Fernandez, a worshipper at the temple, watched on helplessly as his house of worship was ruined.

“I feel numb to it,” Mr Fernandez told NBC Los Angeles. “It’s like a bad, bad horrific dream to see that it’s not going to be here tomorrow. This whole place is lighting up.”

The city of Malibu west of Los Angeles told its residents via social media post, “Prepare to evacuate quickly if fire conditions worsen. Evacuate now, especially if you need extra time or have pets/livestock.” 

Meanwhile, a third fire began burning overnight on Tuesday local time. It has grown to 500 acres, according to local officials and has triggered evacuation orders in neighbouring Santa Clarita. A fourth fire later broke out in Riverside County but has since been contained.

A fifth wildfire — the Woodley Fire — continues to burn out of control in Los Angeles County. 

The fire began around 6.15am local time Wednesday and so far has burned about 75 acres around the Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserve in Encino, according to Cal Fire. 

It is currently 0 per cent contained. 

The Woodley Fire is located between the massive Palisades Fire to the south, and the Hurst Fire to the north, which now has consumed at least 500 acres, officials say. 

US President Joe Biden — who was in Los Angeles for a planned announcement on new national monuments — said he was “being frequently briefed on the wildfires” and has offered “any federal assistance that is needed”.

Vice President Kamala Harris, who has a house in California, said she was praying for “fellow Californians who have evacuated”. 

‘Everyone panicked’ 

The fire erupted midmorning and swelled quickly, taking many residents by surprise.

One man, who gave his name as Gary, told broadcaster KTLA that hot ashes were raining down on his community of Sea Ridge.

“There was smoke in the distance, and I was assured that it would not come over the hill … five minutes later, it’s coming down the hill,” he said.

“Everyone panicked, that’s when everybody made a run and went to go and pack their houses up.” 

Evacuee Kelsey Trainor said she saw the fire explode in size as she was fleeing. “By the time we got to the bottom of the hill, which is about two or three miles, there were flames on both sides of the road, and it became gridlocked,” she said.

“No one knew what to do. Everyone was honking their horns. There’s flames all around you. I could see people walking with suitcases, with their dogs, children. An elderly woman was really visibly upset and in tears.” 

Pacific Palisades resident Andrew Hires told AFP he got a text alerting him to the fire as his child was at the dentist about to have a tooth extracted.

“We pulled off the mask and ran to the car,” he said.

‘Worse’ weather conditions

The fire came as the area was being hit by seasonal Santa Ana winds that forecasters said could develop into the worst windstorm in a decade, with gusts of up to 160km/h expected.

“This looks pretty, pretty concerning,” said meteorologist Daniel Swain. 

“And what’s going on now is only just the beginning, because weather conditions are going to get a lot worse.”

With a huge pall of smoke visible over the whole of Los Angeles, events throughout the area were cancelled, including a red-carpet premiere of Jennifer Lopez’s new film Unstoppable. 

Wildfires are an expected part of life in the US West and play a vital role in nature.

But scientists say human-caused climate change is altering weather patterns. Southern California had two decades of drought that were followed by two exceptionally wet years, which sparked furious vegetative growth — leaving the region packed with fuel and primed to burn.

— with AFP