Celebrities among thousands evacuated and waiting to learn the fates of their homes in Los Angeles fires

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Wanted to burn it torn 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 fighting wind-whipped fires rippling across the area, destroying homes, clogging roads as tens of thousands fled and straining resources as the fires burned unchecked early Wednesday.

The Pacific Palisades neighborhood is a coastal hillside area filled with celebrity homes and memorialized by the Beach Boys in their 1960s hit “Surfin’ USA.” In the frantic rush to get to safety, roads became impassable as dozens of people abandoned their vehicles and fled on foot, some with suitcases.

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

Less than 72 hours earlier, Hollywood’s highest-wattage stars had turned out to walk the Golden Globes red carpet, the first major event of the exuberant and too many triumphant awards season. Awards season festivities were also quickly snuffed out: Premieres of contenders like “Better Man” and “The Last Showgirl” were canceled. Screen Actors Guild Awards nominations was announced via press release rather than at a live event, and weekend events like the AFI Awards were preemptively scrubbed.

Here’s how celebrities and entertainment companies are being affected by the fires burning in and around Los Angeles:

Stars evacuated due to Palisades fire

Jamie Lee Curtis said Wednesday on Instagram that her family is safe, but she suggested her neighborhood and possibly her home are on fire. She said many of her friends lost their homes.

“It’s a terrible situation and I’m grateful to the firefighters and all the good Samaritans who are helping people get out of the way of the fire.”

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

Many are awaiting word on whether their homes survived the flames.

Mandy Moore said her family was also evacuated and has since been trying to protect her children from the “enormous sadness and worry” she is feeling at the moment.

“So overwhelmed by the devastation and loss,” she wrote in her Instagram story. “Don’t know if our place made it.”

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 courtyards between the homes.

“Standing in my driveway getting ready to evacuate,” Woods said in the short video on X. He later confirmed he had evacuated, adding, “It tests your soul, to lose everything at once, I must say. “

Impact of the fire so far

Officials did not give an estimate of structures damaged or destroyed in the wildfire, but they said at least 70,000 residents were under evacuation orders and nearly 30,000 structures were threatened.

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

The Palisades fire also destroyed the historic ranch house that belonged to Hollywood legend Will Rogers. It was among several structures destroyed in both Will Rogers State Historic Park and Topanga State Park. The historic Topanga Ranch Motel, built by William Randolph Hearst in 1929, also burned down.

Rogers’ ranch, built on land he bought in the 1920s, occupied about 359 acres in what is now Pacific Palisades. It included a 31-room ranch house, a barn, golf course and riding trails. His wife donated it to California State Parks in 1944.

The Critics Choice Awards, originally scheduled for Sunday, has been postponed until 26 Feb.

Movie studios canceled two movie premieres because of the fire and windy weather, Universal Studios Hollywood theme park closed for the day because of the smoky and windy conditions, and the J. Paul Getty Trust said two of its museums, the Getty Villa and the Getty Center, would remain closed for the next few days.

Universal Studios also canceled filming for several series, including “Hacks,” “Ted Lasso” and “Suits LA.”

The Walt Disney Co. closed its headquarters in Burbank and canceled production on several series, including “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Doctor Odyssey”. ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” which tapes in Hollywood, was canceled Wednesday and will instead broadcast a repeat.

The production breaks added to further disruptions in the Los Angeles film and television industry, including the cancellation of the premiere of Universal’s “Wolf Man” and the postponement of the American Film Institute awards gala scheduled for Friday.