Moment Take That’s Mark Owen’s wife & kids flee LA home on road surrounded by furiously burning wildfires
TAKE That star Mark Owen and his family were forced to flee their Los Angeles home as wildfires rip through Southern California.
His wife, Emma, took to Instagram to share the couple’s terrifying ordeal, describing scenes of "helicopters, thick black smoke, and howling winds."
The fires, fuelled by hurricane-force winds and dry conditions, have wreaked havoc, leaving at least five dead and 70,000 people evacuated.
According to Fox LA, the Palisades Fire continues to wreak havoc with no signs of slowing down.
As of 2.15pm local time, new figures reveal the fire has scorched 19,978 acres, destroyed 5,316 structures, and remains at zero per cent containment.
Firefighters are working around the clock, but the scale of destruction and lack of progress in containment paint a grim picture for the days ahead.
Read More on the LA Fires
Declared a state of emergency, the infernos have consumed parts of Malibu, the Hollywood Hills, and Runyon Canyon, turning the region into a fiery battleground.
Mom-of-two Emma's raw account captured the chaos and heartbreak ripping through the City of Angels.
She wrote on Instagram: “We woke up to helicopters, thick black smoke, winds howling, and the uncertainty that our house would survive.
"I wish I had packed better. Even if I had just grabbed each of their baby shoes, it would have been something."
Emma revealed their family’s harrowing escape, detailing how they managed to get their pets, including hamsters and dogs, to safety.
It comes as...
- Five people have died as uncontrolled wildfires engulf Los Angeles
- At least 130,000 have been evacuated and schools have closed
- Nearly 400,000 homes are left without power as over 2,000 buildings destroyed and 30,000 acres burned
- Firefighters are "maxed out" and reportedly running out of water
- Harrowing footage shows the city up in flames
- Celebrity homes have been torched, including A-listers like Paris Hilton, Billy Crystal, and Anthony Hopkins
- Joe Biden slammed for announcing granddaughter's baby news during LA fire presser
Their horse was relocated but remains at risk as the fires continue to spread.
She wrote: “So many have lost everything, pets included. And it’s nowhere near over.
Some of those homes belong to celebrities, with Paris Hilton, Billy Crystal, Miles Teller, and Anthony Hopkins among those to lose their abodes.
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LA wildfires by the numbers
THERE are five main fires which have hit LA over the last two days and are now threatening the lives of hundreds of thousands of residents.
Here's a list of the key facts for each of the blazes:
Palisades fire:
- Started: 10.30am Tuesday near Palisades Drive
- Size: 17,000 acres
- Containment: Zero per cent
- Injuries: Unknown number of “significant” injuries
- Damage: At least, 1000 buildings burned with 13,000 more threatened
- Evacuations: Some 30,000 people under evacuation orders
- Summary: The Palisades fire spread quickly in the gusty, dry winds and dry brush and ran into celebrity enclave neighborhoods filled with multimillion-dollar homes.
Eaton fire:
- Started: 6.18pm on Tuesday in Altadena near Eaton Canyon
- Size: 10,000 acres
- Containment: Zero per cent
- Injuries: Five dead, unknown number of injuries
- Evacuations: Some 100,000 people under evacuation orders
- Summary: The Eaton fire spread rapidly and quickly threatened homes in the area more densely populated than Palisades.
Sunset fire:
- Started: 6.00pm Wednesday
- Size: 60 to 100 acres
- Containment: Zero per cent
- Injuries: Unknown
- Evacuations: Orders issued for parts of Hollywood, but since lifted
- Summary: The Sunset fire has burned some of the most iconic LA real estate including Sunset Boulevard. It has also threatened Hollywood Boulevard and the iconic Hollywood sign and Hollywood Bowl.
Hurst fire:
- Started: 10.29pm on Tuesday in Sylmar
- Size: 850 acres
- Containment: 10 per cent
- Injuries: None reported
- Summary: The blaze broke out near the interstate on the fringe of the city of San Fernando. It is not thought to have damaged any homes so far.
Lidia fire:
- Started: 2pm on Wednesday
- Size: 350 acres
- Containment: 40 per cent
- Injuries: None reported
- Summary: The Lidia fire is away from the city on the northern side of the Magic Mountain Wilderness Area. It is mostly burning through bush and does not threaten homes.