The two largest fires remain at “0%” containment on Thursday (local time) despite firefighting operations, officials said, as they vowed to tackle looting of evacuated homes.
The 6900-ha blaze in the upscale Pacific Palisades has become “one of the most destructive natural disasters in the history of Los Angeles,” said city fire chief Kristin Crowley, while a 4046-ha fire in Altadena had also yet to be contained.
Many celebrities have taken to social media to document the unfolding disaster, while others have yet to comment publicly on the loss of their property.
Others have donated generously to relief efforts, with Halloween star Jamie Lee Curtis announcing a US$1 million contribution towards victims of the wildfires.
With as many as 1500 buildings already destroyed, which famous names have been affected by the ongoing fires?
Paris Hilton
The hotel heiress shared an emotional update on Instagram, revealing her multimillion-dollar vacation home in the star-studded beachfront city of Malibu had been lost to the fires.
“Sitting with my family, watching the news, and seeing our home in Malibu burn to the ground on live TV is something no one should ever have to experience,” the reality star wrote.
“This home was where we built so many precious memories.”
Hilton, 43, purchased the property with husband Carter Reum in June 2021 for US$13.5 million, one of many she owns in California.
The actress said she was grateful her “family and pets are safe” and sent her condolences to neighbours and friends who were impacted.
She also vowed to contribute all she could to help the cause.
“My 11:11 Media Impact Team is already reaching out to non-profit organisations today to figure out how we can best support the communities impacted by these fires,” she said.
Leighton Meester and Adam Brody
Celebrity couple Adam Brody and Leighton Meester are another to have lost their home to the catastrophic fires.
Page Six reported that Brody and Meester’s US$6.5m five-bedroom Pacific Palisades mansion, which they purchased in 2019, was destroyed by the blaze.
The devastation comes just days after the couple posed for photos on the red carpet at the prestigious Golden Globes in Beverly Hills, where Brody was nominated for Best Actor in a Television Series Musical or Comedy for his role in Nobody Wants This.
At the time of writing, neither Brody nor Meester have publicly commented on the loss of their home.
Heidi Montage and Spencer Pratt
Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt from MTV’s reality TV classic The Hills said they had lost their Pacific Palisades home after evacuating the area with their two children, 7-year-old Gunner and 2-year-old Ryker.
The television personalities have been documenting the loss of their family home on social media, with Pratt declaring on Snapchat: “I’m watching our house burn down on the security cameras.”
In a post to Instagram, Pratt, 41, shared a poignant still from the security camera footage of his sons’ burning bedroom.
“The one positive sign I saw as our house burned down was our sons bed burned in the shape of a heart,” he wrote. “A sign of how much love was in this house so thankful for all the years and memories there with our family.”
Pratt’s sister, Stephanie, shared that their parents’ home had also been completely destroyed.
“How horrible for my sweet little nephews to watch their house disappear like this. They must be so scared and confused. I guess the silver lining for me is if my house goes it’s only my stuff – not years of family memories like everyone else in the Palisades.”
Anna Faris
Scary Movie actress Anna Faris was another star to lose her home in the Pacific Palisades, with TMZ reporting her “whole block was levelled by the fire”.
A representative for Faris told E! Online: “Anna and her family are safe and grateful.”
Faris, 48, bought the house in 2019 following her split from Chris Pratt two years earlier, People reports. The former couple had previously owned a home together in the Hollywood Hills. The two share a 12-year-old son, Jack.
Miles Teller
Top Gun: Maverick actor Miles Teller and his wife Keleigh have also had their Pacific Palisades home reduced to rubble amid the fires.
The Tellers, who have been married since 2019, reportedly purchased the property in 2023.
Photos captured on Wednesday (local time) and obtained by People showed the plot where the couple’s home once stood covered in ash and blackened debris, with only a damaged gate remaining.
Neither of the Tellers have yet to share an update publicly following the loss of their home.
Sir Anthony Hopkins
Veteran actor Sir Anthony Hopkins, 87, has lost his four-bedroom, five-bathroom home in the Pacific Palisades.
He reportedly purchased the property for US$6m in 2021.
Photos obtained by local media showed the once beautiful colonial home reduced to charred debris, with only a smouldering fence left standing.
In November 2018, Hopkins’ previous home narrowly escaped Los Angeles’ Woolsey wildfire, which incinerated the neighbouring property.
Eugene Levy
Schitt’s Creek and American Pie actor Eugene Levy, who is the honorary mayor of Pacific Palisades, also had his Los Angeles home engulfed by flames on Wednesday (local time).
While Levy, 78, has yet to comment on the loss, he told media on Tuesday he was trapped in gridlocked traffic amid widespread evacuations of the Pacific Palisades neighbourhood.
“I couldn’t see any flames, but the smoke was very dark,” he told the Los Angeles Times.
Eugene Levy’s Home Destroyed in Palisades Fire Hours After He Spoke About Evacuation: Photo https://t.co/UQQVK2g9RL
— People (@people) January 9, 2025
According to reports, Levy purchased the three-bed, three-bath 1950s property for US$3.9m in 2006.
Levy, who is Canadian, owns a much larger property in Toronto, and reportedly only used his Los Angeles home while filming in the entertainment hotspot.
John Goodman
Legendary actor John Goodman’s US$4.6m Pacific Palisades home is another property reduced to ashes.
Photos obtained by local media of The Big Lebowski star’s residence showed the charred remains of the swimming pool and not a single room left standing.
Just devastating to see these fires destroy so much along it’s path.
St Louisan John Goodman’s home was a total loss. pic.twitter.com/zkLmZy3ey9
— Augie Nash (@AugieNash) January 9, 2025
Mandy Moore
Singer and Disney star Mandy Moore, 40, has candidly documented the loss of her home in Los Angeles’ Altadena neighbourhood.
Taking to Instagram, the Princess Diaries actress shared the catastrophic aftermath of the blaze as she drove through the wreckage, captioning the footage: “I love you, Altadena. Grateful for my family and pets getting out last night before it was too late (and endless gratitude to friends for taking us in and bringing us clothes and blankets).
“Honestly, I’m in shock and feeling numb for all so many have lost, including my family. My children’s school is gone. Our favourite restaurants, levelled. So many friends and loved ones have lost everything too.
“Our community is broken but we will be here to rebuild together. Sending love to all affected and on the front lines trying to get this under control.”
In a second post to her Instagram on Thursday (local time), Moore shared that she and husband Taylor Goldsmith had returned to the site of their former home, which was littered with piles of rubble.
“We were able to park and walk up our street to bear witness to all the loss. Miraculously, the main part of our house is still standing. For now. It’s not liveable but mostly intact.
“We lost Taylor and Griffin’s studio with every instrument and piece of equipment they’ve ever owned. We lost our garage and back house.
“Everyone we know lost everything. Every house on our street is gone. My in-laws. My brother and sister in law – 6 weeks from welcoming their first baby. Our best friends. Feeling weird survivors guilt.
“We love this community and will do everything we can to help rebuild and support.”
Billy Crystal
Veteran actor and comedian Billy Crystal and his wife of almost 55 years, Janice Crystal, have lost their long-time family home in Pacific Palisades.
The couple, who married in 1970 and were high-school sweethearts, had called the property home for 46 years, and had raised both their children and grandchildren at the residence.
“Words cannot describe the enormity of the devastation we are witnessing and experiencing. We ache for our friends and neighbours who have also lost their homes and businesses in this tragedy,” the Crystals said in a heart-breaking statement to CNN.
“Janice and I lived in our home since 1979. We raised our children and grandchildren here. Every inch of our house was filled with love. Beautiful memories that can’t be taken away. We are heartbroken of course but with the love of our children and friends we will get through this.
“We pray for the safety of the fire fighters and first responders. The Pacific Palisades is a resilient community of amazing people and we know in time it will rise again. It is our home.”
Longtime Pacific Palisades resident Billy Crystal’s home has burned down. 💔
He and his wife, Janice, share the news in a heartbreaking statement with CNN.@jamiegangel pic.twitter.com/KrLAbEcbtk
— Elizabeth Wagmeister (@EWagmeister) January 9, 2025
Jeff Bridges
The Malibu home of True Grit star Jeff Bridges is another to have been incinerated by the wildfires, according to TMZ.
The four-bedroom property, which Bridges, 75, reportedly inherited with his siblings, Beau and Cindy, had been in their family for generations.
Bridges’ The Big Lebowski co-star John Goodman was another celebrity to lose his home to the fires.
Fellow Malibu resident Candy Spelling also lost her US$23m mansion on the Pacific Coast Highway. Spelling, an author and the mother of Beverly Hills, 90210 actress Tori Spelling, told TMZ she was “processing this massive loss for our family”.
“I am beyond grateful for the memories. It was truly a wonderful gift to have.”
Jeff Bridges & Candy Spelling Lose Homes in Los Angeles Wildfires | Click to read more 👇 https://t.co/7ZASpo4Ual
— TMZ (@TMZ) January 9, 2025
Cary Elwes
The Princess Bride star Cary Elwes confirmed on Wednesday (local time) that he and his family had been safely evacuated, but their Malibu home was destroyed.
The English actor, 62, said in an update to social media that his family were “grateful to have survived this truly devastating fire”.
“Our hearts go out to all the families impacted by this tragic event and we also wish to extend our gratitude to all the fire fighters, first responders and law enforcement who worked so tirelessly through the night and are still at it.”
– More to come.
