Woolsey Fire: Neil Young, Gerard Butler, Miley Cyrus among those who lost homesAuthor : AZIndia News Desk
Nov 12 (AZINS) Neil Young, Gerard Butler and Miley Cyrus are among the celebrities whose homes have been destroyed by the deadly wildfires in California that has claimed the lives of at least 31 people and forced hundreds of thousands of residents to flee, US media reports said Monday.
The Woolsey fire is one of three major blazes burning across California. As of Sunday night, the fire had spread to 85,500 acres.
Together with the smaller Hill fire, which spans 4,531 acres, the Woolsey fire has so far destroyed 179 structures, but fire officials say another 57,000 are threatened.
The third fire, Northern California's Camp fire, is the most destructive in state history and one of the deadliest. That blaze virtually burned the town of Paradise to the ground, destroying thousands of homes and structures. Some 228 people are unaccounted for, CNN reported.
Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea on Sunday said the bodies of five people had been found in their burned-out homes and a sixth was found inside a vehicle.
He said that at least 228 people were still unaccounted for, adding that DNA testing equipment was being sent should it be required to help identify victims.
The mayor of Paradise, Jody Jones, said the situation in the town was grim.
"Most of the residential [area] is gone. I would say 90%," she said. "I had an opportunity to go up there and take a look for myself. Just about everyone I know lost their home." Young, the musician confirmed the loss of his house in a statement posted on his website.
He also discussed climate change and criticised President Donald Trump.
Young's post referenced the president's controversial tweet that blamed California's "gross mismanagement" for the damage caused by the wildfires.
"Imagine a leader who defies science, saying these solutions shouldn't be part of his decision-making on our behalf," Young wrote.
This is the second time the rock star has lost his home to a wildfire, according a media report. The 1978 Malibu firestorm destroyed hundreds of homes, including Young's.
Butler, the Scottish star and producer posted a photo of the remains of his Malibu home on Instagram on Sunday, thanking firefighters for their "courage".
In addition to the photo, Butler also posted two videos on his Instagram stories, saying that his house is "half gone".
Cyrus, the singer and actress tweeted on Sunday that she and fiance Liam Hemsworth "made it out" of the fire safely.
But she also revealed that her house "no longer stands".
"Completely devestated by the fires affecting my community. I am one of the lucky ones. My animals and LOVE OF MY LIFE made it out safely & that's all that matters right now.
"My house no longer stands but the memories shared with family & friends stand strong," she tweeted.
Robin Thicke's partner April Love Geary, who is currently pregnant, revealed on Instagram stories that their home had been destroyed.
The previous day, the Blurred Lines singer posted photos of the smoke near their home in Malibu.
Other stars including Kim Kardashian-West and Lady Gaga evacuated their homes over the weekend while sharing updates with fans on social media.
With strengthening winds threatening to spread the flames, California Governor Jerry Brown has urged President Trump to declare a major disaster, a move that would harness more federal emergency funds to the state.
The appeal came a day after Trump threatened to cut funding for California, blaming the fires on poor forest management.
Los Angeles County Fire Chief Daryl Osby echoed Brown's sentiments, noting how widespread the fire destruction has been across the state.
Harold Schaitberger, president of the International Association of Fire Fighters, called the president Trump's comments "reckless and insulting".