Flames devastate Los Angeles. Biden cancels trip to Italy

Five dead, over 150 thousand evacuated, thousands of hectares devastated by the fire, which also broke out in the center of Hollywood. The fire emergency in Los Angeles forces the American president, Joe Biden, to cancel his trip to Italy where he should have arrived today and remained until Sunday (the program included the audience with Pope Francis, and meetings with the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella and the Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni). But after traveling to the areas affected by the fires, which are still not put out, Biden decided to remain in the USA to closely monitor the management of the emergency. The American administration has already promised federal resources to support citizens and businesses affected by the fires, while the Pentagon has arranged the dispatch of military planes and helicopters. But the flames envelop everything and the strong winds make rescue operations and operations to put out the fires difficult.

In everything There are eight forest fires burning in Los Angeles County among the most affected were the Pacific Palisades and Sylmar neighborhoods and the outer area of ​​the city of Pasadena. “I approved Governor Newsom’s request to declare a natural disaster and ordered federal assistance to supplement response efforts in areas affected by the wildfires, ensuring affected communities and survivors have immediate access to funds and resources “.But the flames advance and reach the historic neighborhood of Hollywood: the entire area was evacuated immediately. Many stars and VIPs had to abandon their villas, many of which were destroyed by fire. And the entertainment and cinema industry also suffers a setback amid the chaos: the ceremony announcing the Oscar nominations has been postponed for two days, and the previews of some films have also been cancelled.

The flames, which broke out on Tuesday in Los Angeles County, are hitting the city of Pasadena with particular virulence. So far the fire has burned more than 4,289 hectares and destroyed hundreds of homes. According to the Los Angeles Times, at least 1,100 shops, homes and other structures have been destroyed by the flames advancing out of control in the county, driven by the ‘Santa Ana’ windstorm. Among the multiple fires that are devastating the region is the Palisades fire, the largest active outbreak to date, which broke out on Tuesday morning and has currently razed 39,121 hectares in one of the most exclusive areas of the city of ‘stars’. Another of the large fires that is advancing rapidly is the Hurst Fire in Sylmar, north of the city, which has spread across 1,729 hectares in recent hours. There was also no shortage of political controversy: President-elect Donald Trump accused the Democratic governor of California, Gavin Newsom: “This is a real tragedy. And it’s a mistake by the governor,” said the tycoon. Accusation rejected to sender: “Trump is politicizing this tragedy, a devastation caused by the fires, which caused at least five deaths and dozens of injuries“Newsom said.“Over 7,500 firefighters are on the ground “trying to quell the wildfires” raging in California. Residents of Southern California please remain vigilant tonight. Listen to local authorities and be prepared to evacuate if you are near the areas affected”, he then added on X.

The escape of the stars

The stars of Los Angeles flee the burning city. Movie stars, musicians and other celebrities among tens of thousands of people affected by wildfires ravaging Los Angeles, as the entertainment industry grinds to a halt amid the chaos. The entertainment capital has been besieged by numerous fires still out of control, with Hollywood events, including a glitzy awards ceremony and the premiere of Pamela Anderson’s film, being cancelled, while Firefighters battle flames fanned by hurricane-force winds. Hundreds of homes were destroyed in the posh Pacific Palisades area, a celebrity favorite where multimillion-dollar homes sit on beautiful hills, while other fires raged in the city’s north.

Mandy Moore, the singer and actress of “This Is Us”, she told her Instagram followers that she fled with her children and pets from a fire that “leveled” the Altadena neighborhood. “My sweet home. I am devastated for those who have lost so much,” she wrote under a video. Emmy-winning actor James Woodsposted a video on X showing flames engulfing trees and bushes near his Pacific Palisades home as he prepared to leave it. “I couldn’t believe our beautiful little house in the hills had stood this long. It’s like losing a loved one,” Woods said. The star of “Star Wars” Mark Hamill he told his followers on Instagram that he fled his Malibu home with his wife and dog, fleeing down a road lined with active fires. Also Oscar winner Jamie Lee Curtis she was forced to evacuate, later writing on Instagram: “Our beloved neighborhood has disappeared. Our home is safe. So many others have lost everything.” Meanwhile, next week’s Oscar nomination presentation has been postponed until January 19, to give Academy members affected by the fires more time to cast their votes this week.

Stars take to social media to share the strong emotions they felt when they saw their homes swept away by fire. She wasn’t even spared Vice President Kamala Harris’s home. Also among the ‘victims’ of evacuations due to fires Paris Hilton: “Heartbroken beyond words. Sitting with my family, watching the news, and seeing our house in Malibu burn on live TV is something no one should ever experience,” she wrote on Instagram. “This home is where we built so many treasured memories. It’s where Phoenix took its first steps and where we dreamed of building a lifetime of memories with London,” added Hilton. The former star of “The Hills” Heidi Montag shared an emotional video on TikTok revealing that her house had burned down. “I’m so sorry that our house is no longer there,” she explained, barely holding back tears.

“General Hospital” actor Cameron Mathison shared a video on Instagram showing the devastation left by the fire. “We are safe,” he wrote. “But this is what remains of our beautiful home. The house where our children grew up and where they would one day want to raise their own,” he added, showing the video of the fire. “Frozen” star Josh Gad shared a video of the flames on social media: “I hope everyone is safe tonight in the areas affected by the fire in Los Angeles,” he hoped.