A STAR IS BURNED
Celebs’ homes in Calif. blazes
Celebrities took to social media Sunday to document the loss of their multimillion-dollar mansions as three major wildfires continued to ravage California, while authorities warned that expected high winds could fan the flames.
“Welcome to my home in Malibu. Half gone, wow,” actor Gerard Butler wrote on Instagram, where he also posted a photo of himself in front of what appeared to be the remnants of the garage at his $6.4 million mansion and a destroyed Ford Bronco.
The death toll from the fires — which are raging at the northern and southern ends of the state — rose to 31 Sunday, with 29 fatalities stemming from the Camp Fire in northern Butte County.
The Camp Fire, which began Thursday, has destroyed 6,700 structures and leveled the town of Paradise, making it the most destructive blaze in state history.
In Southern California, the Woolsey and Hill fires have burned down 180 structures near LA, including Butler’s home and the those of “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star Camille Grammer and singer Robin Thicke.
Meanwhile, the first fatality of the Camp Fire was identified on Sunday as an ailing woman who was found dead in her bed.
Ellen Walker, in her early 70s, was alone at home in Concow when the blaze struck Thursday, said a friend, Nancy Breeding.
Walker’s husband was at work and called a neighbor to tell his wife to evacuate, but she was on medication and may not have been alert, according to Breeding.
“They were married for 20-some- thing years. He’s having a difficult time accepting,” Breeding said.
“This is a devastating thing, and it’s happening to so many people.”
High winds have been forecast through Tuesday and could stir up embers and restart blazes in areas.
Meteorologists predicted winds up to 60 mph, meaning at least another 24 hours of “red flag” conditions and “explosive fire behavior,” said Cal Fire Capt. Bill Murphy.
Looking to cash in on the devastation, a gang of suspected looters dressed up as forest rangers and went to Paradise Saturday, authorities said. Several were arrested.
With 200 people still missing, the death toll is certain to rise.
To identify the dead, authorities have called in DNA-lab workers and an anthropology team from California State University at Chico for cases in which the only remains found were bones or bone fragments, an official said.
About 300,000 people statewide were under evacuation orders, as Gov. Jerry Brown requested a major-disaster declaration from President Trump, which would give victims access to counseling, housing and unemployment aid.