Cher and Dick Van Dyke
Stars fly before fire in Malibu
© Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency/ddp/Sipa USA / Sthanlee B. Mirador/ddp/Sipa USA
Celebrities like Cher and Dick Van Dyke have fled the flames of a wildfire in Malibu and reached safety.
A forest fire is raging in Malibu, California. Some residents have already had to leave their homes, including celebrities such as singer Cher, 78, and actor Dick Van Dyke, 98, who is celebrating his 99th birthday on Friday (December 13th).
On Tuesday (December 10), Van Dyke announced on Facebook that he and his wife Arlene Silver had fled their home. “Arlene and I got to safety with our animals, except for Bobo, who escaped when we left the house,” he explained, referring to one of his cats. The actor also wrote about the animal and his Malibu home: “We pray that he is well and that our community at Serra Retreat survives these terrible fires.”
As the New York Times reports, Cher's press secretary Liz Rosenberg confirmed that the singer has also left her property in the city, which is popular with celebrities. Accordingly, the musician was evacuated with her pets last Monday evening and taken to a hotel.
“Evacuated in the middle of the night”
According to the Los Angeles Times, firefighters are currently trying to contain the flames. The “Franklin Fire,” fueled by strong winds, spread rapidly and has already caused destroyed homes, power outages and evacuations in the city west of Los Angeles, with residents often having to leave their homes in the dark.
Actress Mira Sorvino, 57, also confirmed this and wrote on X: “I pray for all my friends and neighbors in Malibu that they are safe. We were evacuated in the middle of the night, children and pets are all safe! Scary times.” The first reports of the fire that broke out were received on Monday evening. The authorities are currently investigating the cause of the fire.
