Kate Beckinsale devastated as 'horrific' LA wildfires destroy neighborhood where she raised her daughter
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Actress Kate Beckinsale took to the social media platform Instagram on Wednesday, January 8, to share updates about the raging wildfires in the Los Angeles area, reported People.
In the caption of her post, the 51-year-old grieved about how the tragedy impacted the lives of the residents and led to the destruction of her daughter Lily Mo Sheen's childhood neighborhood.
Kate Beckinsale's Instagram post
The 'Underworld' actress shared footage and news of the fires wreaking havoc in California on Instagram, along with a list of areas in the Pacific Palisades that have been decimated, such as schools, gas stations, a park and a library.
View this post on Instagram
"Hearing the winds last night I prayed," she wrote at the start of a long caption. "I knew it would be bad- we had to evacuate many times during our life there - but the shock at the whole of the Palisades being destroyed is unthinkably horrific."
"My daughter and I lived there for most of her childhood and most of her childhood is gone. Her primary school, every shop or restaurant we used to go to with my parents and Michael’s parents -and devastatingly, most of her friends' homes," she continued. Beckingsale shares her only daughter Lily, 25, with actor Michael Sheen.
"My heart is broken," continued Beckingsale, noting how the Pacific Palisades community was thriving with "families with young children and pets."
"My heart is breaking for the families who have lost everything, and the people and their animals, not to mention the horses and all the wild animals, people’s businesses and livelihoods. This is just like hell," she shared, before asking people to reach out for help on the platform if needed.
Experts warn California fires will be getting worse
According to People, experts believe that the wildfires in Southern California that have devastated thousands of acres of land as of Wednesday morning were far from dying out.
"This event is not only not over, but it is just getting started and will get significantly worse before it gets better,” UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain said at an afternoon news brief on the previous afternoon, adding the strongest and most widespread winds to spread the flame have “yet to come.”
The National Weather Service Los Angeles issued a high wind warning in multiple areas for Wednesday evening, stating, "Damaging winds could blow down many trees and power lines. Widespread power outages are possible. Travel will be difficult, especially for high-profile vehicles."
The NWS Storm Prediction Center noted that "critical fire weather conditions are expected to persist into Thursday."