Steve Guttenberg evacuates neighbors during wildfires

Steve Guttenberg evacuates neighbors during wildfires

Steve Guttenberg is not only a talented actor, but also a real hero in times of need. Known from films like “Police Academy” and “Three Men and a Baby,” he immediately jumped into action when the devastating Wildfires in Los Angeles threatened his neighborhood in Pacific Palisades.

An unexpected scenario

"I've never seen anything like this in my life and I don't think many people have either," he said in an interview with CNN. “At 9 a.m. it was an idyllic Pacific Palisades, and by 10 a.m., 10:30, the sky was as dark as night.” In Los Angeles, residents are battling life-threatening fires, unpredictable flames, thick smoke and evacuation orders for thousands of people.

On-site relief efforts

Early on, Guttenberg spoke to television station KTLA while actively working to move abandoned cars that were hindering the evacuation process. "There are people stuck, so we're trying to clear Palisades Drive and I'm going as far as I can and moving cars," he explained. “There are families and pets that really need help.”

As he tried to get home, he realized in traffic that the situation was chaotic. “I saw mothers who were hysterical, having panic attacks, and I helped them with their luggage because they were worried about their families who they couldn't evacuate in time,” Guttenberg continued.

The seriousness of the situation

The situation became so critical that people were asked to abandon their cars and evacuate on foot. “I spent all day moving abandoned vehicles so the fire department could get through,” he said. “This is the most incredible fire I have ever seen.”

Celebrities in distress

Guttenberg is just one of many familiar faces affected by the fires. Star Wars actor Mark Hamill was forced to leave his home in Malibu. "At 7pm - we had to evacuate Malibu, there were small fires on both sides of the road as we approached PCH," he posted on Instagram. He and his family took refuge with their daughter in Hollywood and called the situation "the most terrible fire since '93" and encouraged everyone to "stay safe."

Emotional stories

Actor James Woods shared a video on social media of his Pacific Palisades home being engulfed in flames the night before. "I took this last night from our beautiful little house in the Palisades. Now all the fire alarms are going off at once," he wrote, adding how heartbreaking it was to lose everything at once.

Woods became visibly emotional as he spoke of his eight-year-old niece's willingness to help. "She came with her little Yeti savings bank so we could rebuild our house," he said, breaking down in tears.

Community spirit in crisis

Parts of Pacific Palisades High School, known from films such as the horror classic "Carrie" and the comedy "Freaky Friday," were also caught in the fire, which has now spread to nearly 3,000 acres without any control. Reality star Spencer Pratt shared pictures of his children's bedroom burning and reported that both his home and his parents' home fell victim to the flames.

“I think this is a particularly important moment to remind ourselves that we are not just one street, one block, one city, one country or the world, but one large community,” Guttenberg concluded. "And when a crisis occurs, everyone realizes that cars and jewelry don't count. What really matters are the people."