LOS ANGELES, CA. (THECOUNT) — The ongoing California wildfires have wreaked havoc, particularly in the celebrity-laden neighborhoods of Los Angeles. Among those who have lost their homes are notable figures such as Billy Crystal, Cary Elwes, Ricki Lake, Milo Ventimiglia, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Mel Gibson, Melissa Rivers, John Goodman, songwriter Diane Warren, Tina Knowles, Eugene Levy, Jeff Bridges, Anthony Hopkins, Paris Hilton, Sandra Lee, Anna Faris, Mandy Moore, Jennifer Grey, and record producer Lou Adler. The fires have also claimed the homes of thousands of Hollywood stage crew members. Additionally, the historic home of Will Rogers has been destroyed.
The list of evacuees includes high-profile individuals like Dennis Quaid, Fergie, LeBron James, Harrison Ford, Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Chrissy Teigen and John Legend, six members of the Kardashian family, Jennie Garth, Maria Shriver, James Woods, Mark Hamill, and Ben Affleck. It’s believed that many more celebrities have been affected, but details are still emerging.
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Amid the chaos, actress Jamie Lee Curtis has been advocating for increased donations to support the wildfire victims, while Jean Smart has urged awards shows to redirect their profits towards relief efforts. Jennifer Garner, dealing with personal losses, has volunteered with World Central Kitchen to help feed those displaced by the fires, even welcoming her ex-husband, Ben Affleck, into her home after his evacuation.
The fires have scorched more than 38,000 acres, with over 12,000 structures confirmed destroyed. The Palisades Fire, covering over 22,000 acres across Santa Monica and Malibu, is only 11% contained, while the Eaton Fire, affecting nearly 14,000 acres in Altadena and Pasadena, stands at 15% containment. Other smaller fires are largely under control.
In the battle against the escalating wildfires in California, a significant portion of the firefighting force comprises prison inmates. A California official reported that 29 fire crews, made up of 395 prison inmates, are actively engaged in combating the blazes, earning less than $5 per day. These crews make up approximately one-third of the total firefighting personnel dedicated to halting the spread of fires across the region.
The impact on local populations is significant, with over 153,000 residents evacuated and another 166,000 on alert due to evacuation warnings. The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning for Los Angeles and Ventura counties, predicting that the dangerous fire weather conditions, exacerbated by Santa Ana winds reaching speeds up to 75 MPH, will persist through Wednesday.
As the fires continue to challenge firefighters and disrupt lives, the community and its stars are coming together in various ways to support recovery efforts and honor the sacrifices of those on the front lines, including the prison inmates risking their lives for mere dollars a day.
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