MEGA MOVE
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle make surprise appearance in LA to meet wildfire victims & donate toys as 200k evacuated
The couple were pictured speaking to the members of the community who have been the victims of the Eaton wildfire
PRINCE Harry and Meghan Markle made a surprise appearance in Los Angeles to meet the victims of the devasting wildfires.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex also served food and donated toys and essential supplies to the victims outside the World Central Kitchen in Pasadena.
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The couple were pictured speaking to the members of the community who have been the victims of the Eaton wildfire - one of the six devastating blazes currently burning in LA.
The out-of-control Eaton Fire has now wrecked up to 5,000 houses as the blaze spread to almost 14,000 acres on Thursday.
Harry and Meghan were reportedly joined by Jennifer Siebel Newsom, the wife of California Governor Gavin Newsom who has been under fire over the handling of the devastation.
They also visited the Pasadena Rose Bowl where they met and thanked Fire Chief Marrone and his team from the LA County Fire Department, magazine reports.
read more about LA wildfires
Speaking to Fox News, Mayor Victor Gordo said: "[Harry and Meghan] want to be as helpful as they can be and really they just want to be supportive."
He added that the couple visited some of the burnt-out houses in Pasadena and Altadena and spoke to those who had lost their homes.
It comes after Harry and Meghan, who live some 90 miles away from the chaos, broke their silence on the "apocalyptic" wildfires that have ripped through multiple mansions in Los Angeles.
They said on their website: "In the last few days, wildfires in southern California have raged through neighbourhoods and devastated families, homes, schools, medical care centres, and so much more - affecting tens of thousands from all walks of life."
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The Sussexes added: "If a friend, loved one, or pet has to evacuate, and you can offer them a safe haven in your home, please do."
They are also understood to have made financial donations to relief funds through the Archwell Foundation.
Harry and Meghan's 16-bedroom mansion, which also boasts a two-bedroom guest house, experienced a power cut during the wildfires.
The Sussexes also invited into their home friends and loved ones who had been forced to evacuate, it is understood.
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WORST FIRE IN LA'S HISTORY
Raging wildfires have through Los Angeles - killing 11 people and destroying 10,000 homes.
Out-of-control flames have been tearing through neighborhoods for days as fierce winds threaten to fuel the towering infernos.
Palisades - the largest fire of all six currently burning - has destroyed more than 5,000 homes and structures in its path.
A bushfire is said to have started the wildfire in the Palisades on Tuesday, which had grown to more than 15,000 acres by the next morning.
So far, the devastating fire has burned down more than 21,000 acres and thousands of homes businesses and other iconic landmarks in LA.
Authorities have now turned previous evacuation warnings into mandatory orders, urging people to leave the area from Sunset Boulevard north to Encino Reservoir.
So far, only eight per cent of the Palisades fire has been contained.
Other fires in the region include the SunSet Fire, which is ravaging Hollywood Hills.
Neighborhoods have been reduced to ash, with celebrities including John Goodman and Leighton Meester watching their pads burn down.
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Kenneth Fire, another raging inferno, has sparked mass evacuations in Calabasas and Hidden Hills.
It is being investigated as arson - with one suspect arrested.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said areas of the city "look like a bomb was dropped in them" - branding the fires a "crisis".
The devastating fires are set to have a costly impact on the city and its residents - with private forecaster Accuweather estimating the total damage and economic loss up to $150 billion.
Governor Gavin Newsom has deployed over 1,400 firefighters, with additional teams arriving from neighbouring states, but the battle to contain the flames is far from over.
Meanwhile, satellite pictures have revealed by the wildfires.
The snaps show before, during, and after the uncontrolled blazes have burned through LA homes and .
Some of those homes belong to celebrities, with , Billy Crystal, Miles Teller, and Anthony Hopkins among those to lose their abodes.
The wind-fuelled flames haven't spared the homes of the rich and famous with Hollywood A-listers tragically seeing their houses turned to smouldering rubble.
This includes supermodel Bella Hadid, Spencer Pratt and Oscar winner Mel Gibson.
Other celebrities like Tom Hanks, 68, and Steven Spielberg, 78, had their homes narrowly spared in the fires.
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Meanwhile, Mandy Moore told trolls to "F*** off" after asking for donations to help her relatives who lost their home in the LA wildfires.
The This Is Us star hit back online after facing backlash for sharing a GoFundMe campaign for her brother-in-law and sister-in-law.
Moore’s sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Griffin, lost their home and possessions, including Griffin’s collection of drums and percussion equipment, from which he would make a living.
Despite losing part of her own home, Moore faced criticism online, with some accusing her of not doing enough to help her family financially.
“People questioning whether we’re helping out our own family or attributing some arbitrary amount of money Google says someone has is NOT helpful or empathetic,” Moore snapped in an Instagram post.
“Of course we are. Our buddy Matt started this GoFundMe, and I’m sharing because people have asked how they can help them.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
"We just lost most of our life in a fire too. Kindly F OFF. No one is forcing you to do anything.”
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'War zone' LA feels 'broken' as fires still ravage the city - but we will rebuild
The U.S. Sun's Assistant Editor for Exclusives Katy Forrester is an LA resident and she witnessed first-hand the horror as flames engulfed the city. She said the city feels like a "war zone
EVERY year Los Angeles braces itself for wildfires. It is not uncommon to see flames torching the hills and even houses burning to the ground.
But many residents have never witnessed anything as devastating as this week. And it’s nowhere near over.
I spent time near Pacific Palisades, where thick smoke filled the air, and saw desperate families fleeing the city while others begged police to give them access to their properties as roads were blocked off.
“Everything is gone” was heard many times, as thousands of people were left homeless and with few possessions.
I was lucky to only have the power go out in my home, but I’ll never forget what I witnessed traveling throughout the city.
It was like a war zone.
During a visit to a shelter, I spoke with a resident who has lived in his home for almost 30 years and is battling cancer. He stayed long after he was told to pack up and go.
It was only when flames began leaping around his building that he finally gathered his belongings and ran out.
I reported from Altadena, where buildings were still engulfed in flames, and few fire trucks were in sight as emergency services were overwhelmed.
Cars and school buses were completely torched, and heartbroken families stood around in shock, not being able to process what had happened.
As the sun went down, I drove back home towards the city center, which I felt was safe, until I saw orange flames leaping behind buildings just minutes from my house.
I felt sick. I’ve never known wildfires so close to Hollywood, and suddenly, phones were blaring with emergency notifications to evacuate the area.
Traffic lights and street lamps were out, and areas filled with fallen trees from the strong winds became gridlocked.
I feel extremely lucky I live minutes outside of the evacuation zone, but friends panicked and fled their homes.
Although many worldwide will merely shrug when they hear wealthy people have lost their homes, the reality is very different.
The city as a whole feels broken, everyone from single mothers to elderly people have been through hell.
And people are angry.
Dozens have spoken of their insurance policies being canceled just months before the fires, while others are reeling over alleged corruption and mismanagement.
They may be angry. But they are also hopeful. The people of Los Angeles are made of strong stuff.
We will get through this. And we will rebuild.
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