‘Star Village’ Malibu was largely evacuated in the early hours of Wednesday due to forest fires in the area. Singer Cher (80) and actor Dick Van Dyke (99) also had to leave in a hurry due to the approaching fire.
Malibu, a hotspot for all kinds of stars and rich people, has been struggling with a major forest fire since Monday evening, which was given free rein by increasing winds and very dry vegetation. Despite the efforts of no fewer than 1,700 firefighters, more than 1,000 hectares burned.
Dozens of buildings are also damaged. Some seaside villas have already been destroyed. A horse farm and Pepperdine University are also under acute threat. Singer Cher, among others, had to leave in a hurry, as did Hollywood icon Dick Van Dyke, who lives nearby. He had to leave his cat behind and says he prays she will survive the fire. Cher announced through her spokesperson that she is staying in a hotel. Several thousand people have now had to leave their homes on police orders.
Barbara Streisand, Lady Gaga, Beyoncé and Jay-Z also have homes there. It is not known whether they also had to evacuate.
Initially, the well-known Pacific Coast Highway seemed the ideal way to stop the fire, but the flames soon reached the other side. There were brief fears for the historic Malibu Pier, but a tragedy was avoided. For safety reasons, power has been cut off to 40,000 families.