Hollywood is closing! The fire in Los Angeles has prompted authorities to take drastic measures. Residents and tourists have now been urged to immediately evacuate the area due to the fire. Several movie stars managed to save themselves at the last minute.
“Immediate danger to life. This is a legal order to leave the area at this time,” the Los Angeles Fire Department said. The area is closed to the public, the spokesperson said. Meanwhile, outgoing US President Joe Biden canceled his trip to Italy planned for Thursday because of the fires.
An attached map showed that the evacuation order affected historic parts of the Los Angeles neighborhood known worldwide as the movie dream factory. The new fire broke out just a few hundred yards from the famous Hollywood Boulevard.
Sea of Flames Reaches Hollywood Hills
The fire, dubbed the “Sunset Fire,” started on Wednesday evening (local time), as fire protection authority Cal Fire announced, and has now reached the famous Hollywood Hills. According to media reports, the flames are spreading quickly from Runyon Canyon towards the famous Hollywood Boulevard. According to a report on CBS, several helicopters could be seen dropping water near the fire.
Several wildfires are raging out of control around the Californian metropolis of Los Angeles. Before the evacuation order for Hollywood, about 70,000 residents in other areas had already been asked to leave their homes.
Villas burn down, five dead
In the upscale suburb of Pacific Palisades in the Santa Monica Mountains, about 6,500 acres and about a thousand buildings have already burned. Wildfires also broke out in Santa Clarita, the San Fernando Valley and the northern suburb of Altadena. Authorities say at least five people have been killed, but Los Angeles Sheriff Robert Luna says he fears more deaths.
The fires are fanned by strong winds. Due to the drought in the area, the fire brigade does not have enough water to extinguish the fire.
California Governor Gavin Newsom fears an increase in the number of victims. In an interview with CNN, he spoke of “complete destruction” and recalled the deadly fires in Paradise, a city in Northern California. It was almost completely destroyed by the “Camp Fire” in November 2018, killing 85 people and leaving tens of thousands homeless.
Movie stars flee their homes
“Star Wars” actor Mark Hamill, 73, told his Instagram followers that he left his Malibu home “at the last minute.” He had already seen flames on the side of the road. Jamie Lee Curtis mourned the loss of her home in Pacific Palisades. “Our beloved neighborhood is gone,” she wrote on Instagram. Her own home was spared, but so many other people lost everything.
This also applies to Hollywood comedian Billy Crystal. He and his wife Janice lost their home, where they had lived since 1979, the actor said, according to the Hollywood Reporter. “Of course we are heartbroken, but with the love of our children and our friends we will get through this.” The houses of the actor couple Adam Brody and Leighton Meester and the actress Anna Faris also burned down, reports the celebrity portal ‘TMZ.com’.
Due to the devastating fires in California, outgoing US President Joe Biden canceled his planned trip to Italy and an audience with Pope Francis on Thursday. His spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden wanted to focus in the coming days on leading the overall federal response to the fires. Biden wanted to travel to Italy shortly before his departure as US president – an audience with Pope Francis was planned.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
