Los Angeles Burns: Death Toll Rises and Tens of Thousands Evacuate as Unstoppable Wildfires Rage

Los Angeles held its breath for another day on Wednesday as windswept wildfires ripped across parched hillsides and consumed whole neighborhoods. Tens of thousands of people fled the flames and smoke. By Thursday morning, at least five deaths had been attributed to the blazes, and more than a thousand homes had been reduced to rubble and ash, according to fire officials. Powering the destruction was a freakish Southern California windstorm that transformed hurricane-level gales into immense flamethrowers, causing small brushfires to explode across the landscape well beyond the ability of firefighters on the ground and in the air to extinguish them.

There was zero containment for most of the blazes, even after two days of effort. The fires proved to be unstoppable, destined to end only after they ran out of things to burn.

Wednesday night, a new fire broke out in the hills near the famous Hollywood sign, sending smoke and ash soaring above the Capital Records building and Hollywood Boulevard. Gusts caused it to spread quickly. Onlookers posted video and photos as the orange glow began racing across the hillsides shortly after sundown, as even more Los Angelenos headed for refuge.

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The city came to a near standstill. Those in the sprawling metropolis who were not under evacuation orders hunkered in place, as state and city officials urged citizens to stay off the notoriously traffic-clogged arteries of Los Angeles to make room for those rushing to combat the various blazes. Blackouts dotted the region as power-supplier Southern California Edison cut electricity during the most intense wind surges to prevent fallen wires from sparking new fires. Trees toppled onto roadways, and whirls of dust and debris gave the burning city a post-apocalyptic feel.

At least six major conflagrations erupted during the crisis. The largest was in the Pacific Palisades, the hillside neighborhood overlooking the Pacific where many of the city’s best-known and wealthiest residents reside. It was where Ronald Reagan called home when he won the 1980 election for president, and one of the seaside meccas immortalized in by the Beach Boys in their 1963 hit Surfin’ USA. By Thursday, it was a smoky ruin, with many parts of it—including a once-bustling business district—reduced to cinders.

Nearly 16,000 acres had been scorched in the Palisades, with 300 homes obliterated and 13,000 threatened, according to the latest figures from Cal Fire, the state firefighting agency. Among those to lose their homes were some well-known performers, such as The Princess Bride star Cary Elwes, who wrote on Instagram: “Firstly, myself and my family are all safe, thank God. Sadly, we did lose our home, but we are grateful to have survived this truly devastating fire.” He went on to thank the “firefighters, first responders and law enforcement who worked so tirelessly through the night and are still at it.”

Billy Crystal confirmed that the home he and his wife shared for 46 years was also destroyed in the Palisades fire. “Janice and I lived in our home since 1979. We raised our children and grandchildren here,” he said in a statement. “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.”

The inferno extended north along the coast into the city of Malibu, which suffered a smaller wildfire just last month. Paris Hilton said she learned her family home there had been destroyed when she saw the smoldering ruins on a local news broadcast. “Heartbroken beyond words,” she wrote on Instagram. “This home was where we built so many precious memories.”

The fires became an equalizing force in the city, where the class and financial differences are often all too evident. Many of those who lost their homes and possessions were not as wealthy as the celebrities who got most of the attention, which Hilton noted when she vowed to help support other victims of the blazes. “We’re committed to offering help as soon as possible and making a meaningful difference for those who need it most,” the reality TV star and heiress said.

James Woods told CNN he made videos as the fire and smoke drew closer before he evacuated his Palisades home. Ultimately, the neighborhood was among those destroyed. “The planes were going over, dropping retardant. Those planes aren’t 2,000 feet in the air, they’re like 40 feet over your house. I was looking down, and the [smoke] was black and you could see the flames. This house was on fire, that house was on fire. I said, ‘With this wind, we’re out of here.’” The actor said all that he owned was in the hotel room with him, and everything else was lost. He broke down in tears recalling how his wife’s 8-year-old niece tried to help while talking to them in a video chat in the aftermath. “She came out with her little Yeti piggy bank for us to rebuild our house,” he said.

Normal business in the entertainment capitol became anything but as Los Angeles went into crisis mode. Most Hollywood studios shuttered, led by Disney and Warner Bros. closing their offices and backlots. Some companies, like Netflix and Lionsgate remained open, but allowed workers to stay home if they preferred. Universal canceled its Tuesday night premiere of Wolf Man at the historic Chinese Theatre, and the Screen Actors Guild halted plans for a gala awards announcement Wednesday morning, choosing instead to send out their contenders via press release. Repercussions were expected for weeks to come. The 30th Annual Critics Choice Awards announced their ceremony would take place two weeks later, on Jan. 26, due to the fires.

The Oscar nominations period also opened Wednesday, but the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences immediately decided to extend its five-day voting process by two days to give members who are disrupted by the emergency more time to submit their choices. The Academy Awards nominee announcement was also shifted back two days to Sunday, Jan. 19. “We want to offer our deepest condolences to those who have been impacted by the devastating fires across Southern California,” AMPAS CEO Bill Kramer wrote in an email to voters. “So many of our members and industry colleagues live and work in the Los Angeles area, and we are thinking of you.”

Joy Press contributed to this report.