Miley Cyrus, Neil Young, Gerard Butler among those who lost homes in California wildfires - Los Angeles Times
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Miley Cyrus, Neil Young, Gerard Butler among those who lost homes in California wildfires

A helicopter drops water on the Woolsey fire in Malibu on Sunday.
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
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As the deadly Woolsey fire continued to blaze in and around Malibu on Monday, fire officials carried on with aggressive air attacks to quench the burning flames that did not discriminate among properties.

The fire burned 91,572 acres and charred 370 structures in Los Angeles and Ventura counties and was 20% contained as of Monday morning, according to California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection officials.

By Sunday, the destructive fire had already claimed two lives and forced 250,000 people to flee their homes from Malibu to Thousand Oaks. Thousands of residents remained under mandatory evacuation orders on Monday.

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LIVE UPDATES: California’s Woolsey, Hill and Camp fires rage on »

While firefighters protected some homes, others were not as lucky, including some celebrities’ million-dollar properties that were consumed by the flames. The Western Town movie set at Paramount Ranch was also among the properties burnt, along with the set of the formerly long-running TV series “MASH,” the Reagan Ranch and other historic ranches.

Singer Miley Cyrus said her home was gutted by the fires affecting her community, but felt she was among “the lucky ones.”

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“My animals and LOVE OF MY LIFE made it out safely and that’s all that matters right now,” she tweeted late Sunday night. “My house no longer stands but the memories shared with family & friends stand strong. I am grateful for all I have left.”

With one photo, actor Gerard Butler showed that his Malibu home had been scorched down to the beams on Sunday, but said he was inspired by the “courage, spirit and sacrifice of firefighters.”

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Singer Robin Thicke fled his Malibu home with his girlfriend, April Love Geary, and two small children. He also thanked “the courageous firefighters and volunteers” who tried to save his home.

“As we drove to safety, they risked their lives trying to save our home,” the singer posted on Instagram. “We are safe and surrounded by friends and family. We thank you for all the love and support we’ve received and we send our love and prayers to everyone affected by the fires. Count your blessings!”

Canadian rocker Neil Young also announced that he had lost yet another property to a California fire. Young shared the news Sunday on his website, the Neil Young Archives, in a post blaming climate change and blasting President Trump’s initial reaction to the devastation.

“California is vulnerable — not because of poor forest management as DT (our so-called president) would have us think. As a matter of fact this is not a forest fire that rages on as I write this. We are vulnerable because of Climate Change; the extreme weather events and our extended drought is part of it,” Young wrote.

“Our temperatures are higher than ever here in our hottest summer on record. That has not helped. DT seems to be the Denier … It really is time for a reckoning with this unfit leader.”

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Other celebrities shared words of encouragement for their communities after they were told to evacuate or learned their homes were spared.

Actress Minnie Driver offered shelter for humans and animals alike.

“I’ve got a place in #Malibu on Birdview. However by some miracle it is still intact,” director Bryan Singer wrote on Instagram, posting a video of the fires burning near the intersection of Birdview Avenue and Westward Beach.

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Contrary to previous reports, Caitlyn Jenner’s hill-top home was spared.

“We finally made it back to the house… our house [and pets] made it,” she said in a video with partner Sophia Hutchins posted on Instagram on Sunday. “It was devastating out here in Malibu. You can see the hills are just totally scorched, fried to say the least. We’re very, very luck.”

And many celebrities sent public testimonials to the firefighters and called for donations to support them.

“I just want to take the time to say thank you to all of the fire fighters that have been putting their lives on the line to stop the Woolsey Fires...you men & women are true heroes & me and my family thank you,” Kevin Hart wrote on Instagram on Monday morning.

Hart wasn’t alone in his gratitude for emergency workers.

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Others voiced their support during the E! People’s Choice Awards on Sunday, where winners such as actress Danai Gurira called for donations to the Los Angeles Fire Department as it worked to contain the wildfires.

“To the first responders, your courage, your bravery, what you do to serve those out there who need you is beyond words,” Gurira said, flanked onstage by costars Scarlett Johansson and Pom Klementieff.

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Reality stars Kim, Khloe and Kourtney Kardashian, mom Kris Jenner and sister Kendall Jenner, who evacuated their homes on Friday, also addressed the tragedies ravaging their community.

“Our hearts are broken from the horrific shootings and those who have lost their lives and homes, as well as the hundreds of thousands of us that have been evacuated from the devastating fires that are currently burning,” Kim Kardashian West said.

“Our country is stronger when we come together, and we cannot face devastation alone. We must continue to reach out to each other in trying times.”

Follow me: @NardineSaad

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