
The latest wildfire in California, which broke out in the Hollywood Hills, is threatening iconic Los Angeles landmarks synonymous with the city’s glamour and its film industry legacy.
The Sunset fire rapidly expanded to 50 acres, burning uncontrollably near Runyon Canyon, close to hiking trails and private estates, as per reports. It lies less than a mile west of the Hollywood Bowl, one of the city’s largest entertainment venues, and falls within the mandatory evacuation zone established after the fire ignited. The Dolby Theater, home to the Academy Awards, the TCL Chinese Theatre, and the Capitol Records building are also in the evacuation area.
Authorities have ordered evacuations in an upscale neighbourhood bordered by Mulholland Drive, Hollywood Boulevard and Beverly Hills, which is home to many Hollywood celebrities. The Hollywood sign and Griffith Observatory are also near the evacuation zone.
Meanwhile, the Palisades fire between Santa Monica and Malibu, along with the Eaton fire near Pasadena, have already become the most destructive wildfires in Los Angeles history, burning nearly 28,000 acres — an area larger than Disney World. The fires have claimed at least five lives, destroyed thousands of structures, and left devastation in their wake.
The Pacific Palisades fire forced evacuations of Hollywood stars such as Mark Hamill, Paris Hilton, Mandy Moore and James Woods. Other celebrities, including Adam Sandler, Ben Affleck, Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg, also have homes in the affected area.
Billy Crystal, Paris Hilton and Eugene Levy are among celebrities who have lost their homes in the wildfires tearing through several neighbourhoods of Los Angeles, which have killed at least five people and destroyed more than 1,100 buildings so far.
Two massive wildfires, one to the east and one to the west of Los Angeles, continued to rage January 9 morning, two days after they began. However, firefighting teams made progress on the smaller blaze burning in the Hollywood Hills. Firefighters, supported by helicopters dropping retardants and water, have made headway in controlling the Sunset fire, which forced evacuations in Hollywood and Hollywood Hills, including famous locations like the TCL Chinese Theatre and the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Overall, more than 100,000 people have been ordered to evacuate as hurricane-force winds spread the flames across drought-stricken terrain that has not seen rain for months. By Thursday morning, at least five separate wildfires were still burning in Los Angeles County.
In response to the crisis, President Biden cancelled a planned three-day trip to Italy to stay in the United States and oversee the federal response to the devastating wildfires, according to his spokeswoman.