As wildfires ravage the hills and neighborhoods of Los Angeles, they’ve left an unprecedented trail of destruction. Thousands of homes, including those of beloved celebrities, have been reduced to ashes. These images, from Malibu mansions to historic estates, offer a sobering glimpse into Hollywood’s elite loss.
Plumes of smoke are seen as a brush fire burns in Pacific Palisades, California on January 7, 2025 | Source: Getty Images
Their homes and neighborhoods held years of memories and personal history, now lost within hours. These are the heartbreaking accounts of stars like Billy Crystal, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Ricki Lake, alongside photos that bring the magnitude of this disaster into focus.
Homes burn during the Palisades fire on Wednesday, January 8, 2025, in Pacific Palisades, California | Source: Getty Images
Billy Crystal: Decades of Family Memories Turned to Ash
For Crystal, the wildfire’s devastation extends beyond the loss of a home. It’s the erasure of over four decades of cherished family memories. In a heartfelt statement to CNN, the legendary actor and comedian shared his grief.
Billy Crystal and wife Janice on April 27, 2022 | Source: Getty Images
“Janice and I lived in our home since 1979. We raised our children and grandchildren here. Every inch of our house was filled with love. Beautiful memories that can’t be taken away,” he reflected.
A picture of an area affected by the wildfires in Los Angeles, dated January 9, 2025 | Source: YouTube/@theexpresstribune
For Crystal, the loss is immeasurable, much like the devastation felt by others in the celebrity community. Among them is Ricki Lake, whose beloved Malibu retreat was also reduced to ashes.
Ricki Lake’s Malibu Paradise Lost
Lake’s Malibu home, which she called her “heaven on earth,” is now just a memory. On Instagram, she shared her heartbreak, “It’s all gone. 
I can’t believe I am typing these words.[..]Ross and I lost our dream home.”
Ricki Lake and her partner, Ross, as seen in a post dated January 8, 2025 | Source: Instagram/rickilake
Ricki Lake poses on her property as seen in a post dated January 8, 2025 | Source: Instagram/rickilake
Ricki Lake on her property, dated January 8, 2025 | Source: Instagram/rickilake
Ricki Lake and her partner, Ross, on their now destroyed property, as seen in a post dated January 8, 2025 | Source: Instagram/rickilake
The home was the backdrop to some of Lake’s most cherished moments, including her wedding three years ago. She expressed gratitude for surviving the ordeal but acknowledged the overwhelming grief shared by her community.
Ricki Lake’s property, as seen in a post dated January 8, 2025 | Source: Instagram/rickilake
Ricki Lake and her partner, Ross, as seen in a post dated January 8, 2025 | Source: Instagram/rickilake
Her heartbreak is echoed by Paris Hilton, who faced the unthinkable as she watched her family home burn live on television.
Paris Hilton: Watching a Home Burn on Live TV
Hilton’s Malibu home, filled with precious family memories, was among the countless properties destroyed. Sharing her pain on Instagram, she wrote, “Heartbroken beyond words. Sitting with my family, watching the news, and seeing our home in Malibu burn to the ground on live TV is something no one should ever have to experience.”
A picture from a clip of Paris Hilton’s burning neighborhood, dated January 9, 2025 | Source: Instagram/parishilton
A picture from a clip of burning homes, dated January 9, 2025 | Source: Instagram/parishilton
Hilton reflected on the memories tied to the home, from her son Phoenix taking his first steps to dreams of building a future there. Grateful for her family’s safety, Hilton pledged to support others affected through her 11:11 Media team. “We’re committed to offering help as soon as possible,” she wrote.
A picture of Paris Hilton’s pets as they evacuated their home due to the fires, as seen in her Instagram stories | Source: Instagram/parishilton
As Hilton mobilizes support for the community, Jamie Lee Curtis shares her perspective on the devastation, including its impact on cherished local landmarks.
Jamie Lee Curtis gets emotional during an appearance on “The Tonight Show,” dated January 9, 2025 | Source: YouTube/@fallontonight
Curtis shared her grief as fires swept through her neighborhood, leaving a trail of destruction. “My community and possibly my home is on fire. My family is safe. Many of my friends will lose their homes,” she posted on Instagram, urging people to stay safe and let firefighters do their work.
