People online have been celebrating James Woods being forced to evacuate his home in the Pacific Palisades as wind-fueled fires spread across Los Angeles. Newsweek emailed a spokesperson for Woods for comment on Wednesday outside of normal business hours.
Why It Matters
Southern California is battling multiple wildfires fueled by some of the strongest Santa Ana winds in recent memory, prompting mass evacuations, infrastructure damage, and an ongoing state of emergency. The Palisades Fire, which erupted on Tuesday, rapidly ballooned in size to cover more than 2,900 acres. Two new blazes—the Eaton Fire near Altadena and the Hurst Fire in Sylmar—also erupted late Tuesday.
What to Know
The Oscar-nominated actor is one of the many people who has been affected by the fires, having taken to X to share the news—but not everyone is sympathetic. Woods is known for his prolific acting career. He has over 130 credits to his name, as well as two Oscar nominations, a Golden Globe, two Primetime Emmys, and one Daytime Emmy.
What People Are Saying
X user @MrRaceBannon reshared a video from Woods showing the fire around his home, adding: "James Woods house is on fire. If only he'd raked his backyard." Others online aren't impressed with those celebrating the fact that Woods' home has been hit by the wildfire.
California Governor's Statement
California Governor Newsom, in a statement after declaring a state of emergency due to the Palisades fire: "This is a highly dangerous windstorm that's creating extreme fire risk – and we're not out of the woods. Our deepest thanks go to our expert firefighters and first responders who jumped quickly into fighting this dangerous fire."
What Happens Next
Firefighters and emergency workers continue to respond to all three active wildfires. Around 30,000 residents of Pacific Palisades have been told to evacuate immediately. The Eaton fire has now consumed approximately 1,000 acres in the hills above Altadena and prompted evacuation orders for parts of Altadena and Pasadena.
