Thousands of structures have been leveled by the wildfires that continue to burn across Los Angeles County, affecting the homes of several celebrities in the Pacific Palisades—where the average home lists for more than $3 million—and damaging prominent local landmarks.
A view of burned houses and cars in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood during Palisades wildfire in ... [+]
Palisades Charter High School, featured in movies like “Teen Wolf,” “Carrie” and “Freaky Friday,” was damaged by the Palisades Fire, including classrooms, bungalows, tennis courts and the school’s baseball field, a Los Angeles Unified School District official told the New York Times.
Several structures at the Will Rogers State Historic Park, a 300-acre property once owned by former actor Will Rogers until he died in 1935, were destroyed in the Palisades Fire, including Rogers’ former home, according to California State Parks.
The Topanga Ranch Motel, a bungalow home built by news publisher William Randolph Hearst in 1929 located in Topanga State Park, was destroyed by the Palisades Fires, according to state park officials, who previously signaled plans to restore the home for public use.
Theatre Palisades, a community theater founded in 1963, sustained “serious” damage and said in a notice it would suspend operations until further notice, saying, “We will rise again.”
The Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center, founded in the early 20th century, told congregants its buildings were lost to the fire, though the facility’s Torah scrolls were safe, officials said.
The Getty Center museum—perched atop a hill in the Brentwood neighborhood—was covered by an evacuation order Friday, though museum officials say it remains protected.
The Getty Villa, a museum near the Pacific Coast Highway featuring Greek and Roman art and antiquities, said it would remain closed through at least Monday and is still “safe and intact,” though trees and vegetation at the museum had reportedly burned.
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The Altadena Golf Course, founded in 1910, sustained serious damage and the course’s clubhouse “did not survive the fire,” course officials said. Reel Inn, a popular seafood restaurant in Malibu, said the building had been destroyed by the Palisades Fire. The Malibu Feed Bin, a pet supplies and gifts shop founded in 1966, told its customers its location was destroyed in the Palisades Fire.
Actor James Woods, 77, shared videos of his neighborhood as it became engulfed in flames, and told CNN in a tearful interview he evacuated his Pacific Palisades home on Tuesday before saying it likely burned down. On Friday, he shared a video of his property looking relatively untouched, calling it "a miracle." Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard left the team on Wednesday to help his family evacuate their Pacific Palisades home, valued at $17 million, head coach Tyronn Lue told reporters. His house reportedly survived the fire. Jamie Lee Curtis said she likely lost her Pacific Palisades home, appearing on “The Tonight Show” while calling for people to offer assistance to “anyone who lives in Los Angeles.” Curtis later said her home survived. Chet Hanks, the son of actors Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, wrote on social media the neighborhood he grew up in was “burning to the ground,” though it seems the $26 million Hanks home was unaffected by the fires. Actor John Guttenberg said he was assisting his neighbors in the Pacific Palisades, including working to clear abandoned cars on Sunset Boulevard. His home survived the fire. Model and actress Molly Sims wrote on Instagram that her community in the Pacific Palisades is “just gone,” though her home was still standing. John Legend and his wife, Chrissy Teigen, evacuated their home on Wednesday as the Sunset Fire began in the Hollywood Hills, Teigen said on social media. Rapper and actor Kid Cudi said he evacuated his home and called for others who have yet to do so to “get out immediately.” Others who have homes in areas affected by evacuation orders include Mark Hamill, Mandy Moore, Vice President Kamala Harris, Adam Sandler, Ben Affleck and Steven Spielberg. The homes of Hamill, Affleck and Spielberg seem to have survived, and Moore said her house was “not livable, but mostly intact.” It was unclear of Harris' home, which is in the evacuation zone, had survived the fire, but two people were detained at the property Sunday after police responded to a call about a potential burglary.
"Does anyone else find it appalling that insurance companies can take billions of dollars out of communities for years and then, all of a sudden, be allowed to cancel millions of policies for the very people they became rich on?" actor Tyler Perry posted Sunday. "People who have paid premiums all of their lives are left with nothing because of pure greed. As I am in the process of trying to figure out what steps to take to do all I can to help as many as I can, I am keeping everyone in my prayers."
$3.3 million. That’s the median home price in the Pacific Palisades, according to Redfin. Prices in the neighborhood exceeded $5 million in 2023 before steadily decreasing into 2024.
A series of wildfires in Los Angeles County began Tuesday and rapidly spread to tens of thousands of surrounding acres. At least 24 people have died in the wildfires, according to Los Angeles County officials, who warned the blazes have the potential to continue spreading amid strong winds. More than 150,000 have been forced to evacuate, as at least 12,000 homes, businesses and other structures have been destroyed by fire so far. FEMA administrator Deanne Criswell said the agency is “closely monitoring” the wildfires, and President Joe Biden has approved federal funding to assist those impacted.