'Please stop': CNN’s Anderson Cooper worries fans as he reports maskless from burning Pasadena homes

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: CNN’s veteran anchor Anderson Cooper found himself reporting just feet away from devastation as wildfires blazed through Pasadena, reducing homes to ashes.

The veteran journalist took his audience straight into the harrowing scene as embers swirled around him, the sun blacked out by smoke, and flames engulfed homes right before his eyes.

Anderson Cooper gets up close

Standing in a residential neighborhood north of Pasadena, Anderson Cooper’s live report gave viewers an unfiltered look at the wildfire's destruction.

“Look at all these embers just flying up. You see them in the smoke, all of that," he began. "The winds… can just get picked up for miles and light down, you know, fall on somebody’s roof and a whole new fire will pop up. So this house is gone. This house has now is now underway. The left side of this house is ignited and also now the house nearby it.”

The flames weren’t just consuming homes—they were consuming the landscape itself.

"But I mean, these embers are like snowflakes. They’re falling all around us. The sun. I mean, this is so crazy! You can’t even see the sun," Cooper continued. "It is completely blacked out. You can’t even see this house, but that if inside that smoke is another house, it is sandwiched between two houses completely ablaze. There’s no way that house is going to survive."

As Cooper moved down the block, he described the eeriness of homes that had already been destroyed.

“You see smoke, but you don’t see fires. But there’s a lot of houses which have already been destroyed down there. But this is very active. This has recently caught. I mean, this is now completely engulfed," he added.

Fans concerned for Anderson Cooper's wellbeing

While Anderson Cooper’s bravery was commendable, his fans on social media couldn’t help but worry for his safety.

"Anderson Cooper get TF out of there omg CNN get your man," one posted on X.

"@andersoncooper Please stay safe. I hope you moved away from the car behind you - too close to the flames," another wrote.

"Anderson your voice sounds terrible Please stop keep yourself safe," a third user added.

"He should be wearing an N-95 mask. It’s not good to breathe that in," read a comment.

"Wow ... dude you're really dedicated out here on the front lines get yourself a mask man too much smoke to breathe in," someone else offered.

"One minute you’re getting sloshed in Times Square on national television the next you’re in a literal fire on national television. Pls stay safe Anderson. You’re America’s sweetheart," another gushed.

Worsening crisis as challenges grow on the frontlines

At least five lives have been lost as wildfires tear through Los Angeles and Southern California, displacing more than 100,000 residents. Thousands of homes have been evacuated in the past 24 hours alone, with fires fueled by bone-dry conditions and fierce winds.

Firefighters are struggling with various obstacles, including low water pressure and malfunctioning hydrants. While aerial water drops are underway, the scale of destruction remains staggering. Over 450,000 Southern California customers are without power, compounding the region's misery.

Officials are urging residents in evacuation zones to leave immediately. They’ve advised people to pack go-bags, plan safe routes, and designate meeting points for separated household members, NBC News reported.

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