Steve Guttenberg Rallies for Community After Devastating Wildfires in Pacific Palisades
LOS ANGELES – Actor and producer Steve Guttenberg woke up on Thursday to a heartbreaking scene. The wildfires that raged through the Pacific Palisades had left his once vibrant neighborhood in ruins. Homes stood charred and unrecognizable, streets were empty, and friends were scattered by evacuation orders.
Reflective Amidst Rubble
Guttenberg, despite counting himself lucky as his home was miraculously spared, grappled with the overwhelming devastation. “Just this morning, I woke up and I was really conscious of my mental state and my mental health, because the last three days, I’ve seen so much tragedy,” Guttenberg shared while walking through the still-smoldering remnants of his community. “I’ve seen people scared, people in wheelchairs, mothers and fathers trying to find their kids, people having anxiety and panic attacks.” His block was fortunate, with only a handful of homes badly damaged in the 80-home community, but the sense of loss was palpable.
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Guttenberg described the scale of the fires as the worst he’d ever witnessed in his 66 years. The infernos have destroyed the homes of several celebrities, including Billy Crystal, Carey Elwes, and Paris Hilton, among others. “It’s like when someone dies suddenly,” Guttenberg said. “It’s like when someone gets hit by a car. You never expect that to happen. That’s how shocking it was.”
A Community Reliant on Help
Despite the destruction surrounding him, Guttenberg found strength in helping others. He has spent his time giving aid to those who stayed behind, moving cars to clear debris-choked streets, providing food to displaced neighbors, and assisting those exiting their homes.
“All these houses behind me burned to the ground where their families enjoyed wonderful times together with their friends and family,” Guttenberg said, pointing sadly at the blackened remains of a home. “There’s really a lot of pain going on right now. I’m doing whatever I can to help alleviate it.”
Looking Ahead and Hope for the Future
Guttenberg believes it will take five to ten years for the community to fully rebuild and recover. “It’s going to be a lot of work,” he said. “It’s going to be unbelievable to try to rebuild this. Rebuild all the beautiful trees, homes and retail shops and lifestyle. The psychology of it all, it’s going to take a long time.”
He urged others who are able to return to their homes safely to check on their property and offer assistance to neighbors. He also suggested reaching out to displaced neighbors with simple offers of help, whether it’s providing food, supplies, or just a listening ear.
“Be a good neighbor right now,” Guttenberg urged, recognizing that although the situation is dire, community resilience stands strong. ” Everybody’s gonna do what regular people do: Help each other, give each other food and water, help each other in their backyards, in their front yards. Even though somebody’s an actor, producer, writer, director, we’re all just people.”