by Mick the Ram

The number of wildfires burning out of control in Los Angeles has risen to six across the city and fanned by strong winds  “zero progress” is being reported in containment.

Five people are so far known to have died and more than 1,000 structures have been destroyed, including the mansions of top celebrities such as Billy Crystal, Paris Hilton, Adam Brody, Anthony Hopkins, John Goodman and Miles Teller.

Over 30,000 buildings are under threat and a mandatory evacuation order has been enforced on 137,000 residents, after the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) said there was an “immediate threat to life” in the area and that it was being legally closed to the public.

Worst in history

The worst fires are raging in the Palisades, Pasadena, Sylmar, and now the Hollywood Hills regions, covering more than 27,000 acres (42 sq miles; 109 sq km). The Palisades blaze is already the most destructive in its history and worsening all the time.

Firefighters tackling the blazes have experienced water shortages and have had to resort to taking water from swimming pools and ponds of the rich and famous.

Hollywood Hills is a residential neighbourhood overlooking the historic Hollywood area and there was an air of panic as thousands attempted to escape, creating a gridlock on the roads including Hollywood Boulevard, home to the renowned “Walk of Fame”.

Likened to blockbuster movies

A large swathe of the neighbourhood sitting against the Santa Monica Mountains and winding down to beaches along the Pacific Ocean, has been reduced to ash.

The utter devastation is being described as “next level” with others likening the situation as being reminiscent of a typical blockbuster disaster movie, which ironically several of the residents will have featured in.

Heartbreak

The celebrities with homes dotted across the city have not been spared, with actor Billy Crystal releasing a statement that he and his wife, Janice, were “heartbroken” by the loss of their Palisades home where they had lived in since 1979.

He said “every inch of the house was filled with love” revealing that his children and grandchildren were raised there.

Hotel heiress Paris Hilton confirmed that she had lost her home in Malibu, posting: “Sitting with my family, watching the news, and seeing our home where we built so many memories, burn to the ground on live TV, which is something no one should ever have to experience.”

“Dream” homes ruined

Nothing remains of Oscar-winner Anthony Hopkins‘ home other than the the large gates which ironically were erected to protect the property, with the trees that once offered privacy, also charred to a crisp.

Top Gun: Maverick star Miles Teller only purchased his “dream” home less than two years ago, but the $7.5 five-bedroom mansion he shared with his wife Keleigh – complete with their own theatre and gym – is now just an empty space.

From ceremony to tears in days

Just a few days ago actors Adam Brody and Leighton Meester were seen smiling and enjoying themselves at the Golden Globe Awards, but now they have seen their spectacular home totally destroyed.

James Woods, who starred in films including Nixon and Casino, broke down in tears on TV when being interviewed, after he lost his Palisades property.

He described how just the day before he was happily swimming in his pool and then just the next day it had all gone. He wiped away tears as he described how his wife’s eight-year-old niece offered them her piggy-bank to help rebuild their house.

Plans disappear in flames

Also emotional was former talk show host Ricki Lake who called her feelings as “immeasurable” at the loss of her “dream home”. She married her husband in the garden of her house just three years ago and said it was where they had planned to grow old together.

Legendary songwriter Diane Warren, who composed the classic hit If I Could Turn Back Time and American Pie star Eugene Levy’s also lost their homes, with his son Dan Levy posting how “heartbroken” he was for his family, as well as “all the people of LA affected by the catastrophic fires”.

Star’s plea to residents

Actor Steve Guttenberg was another affected and to his credit he stayed to help firefighters by moving cars to clear a path for incoming fire trucks.

He urged fellow residents to leave their keys in their abandoned cars to make moving them much easier.  

Others on the A-list could follow  

Jennifer Aniston, Bradley Cooper, Tom Hanks, Reese Witherspoon, Adam Sandler, Mark Hamill and Michael Keaton are just some of the major stars who also have homes in the Pacific Palisades and have had to evacuate, although the condition of their properties is not known at this stage.