Jeremy Clarkson has spoken out against the idea that celebrities impacted by the California wildfires are less deserving of sympathy.
Throughout the week, wildfires have been ravaging California, impacting areas such as the Hollywood Hills and Sunset Boulevard, and reaching as far as Malibu – a mere 60 miles from where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle reside, reports the Mirror. Since the fires ignited, at least 10 deaths have been confirmed.
Weather experts predict that conditions will deteriorate further due to increasing wind speeds. Currently, five fires are under surveillance, with the two largest – one in Palisades and another in Eaton – having devastated a combined total of 34,000 acres of land.
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A fast-moving wildfire has forced 30,000 people to evacuate
(Image: Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)
The Kardashian-Jenner family safely evacuated their homes in Calabasas and Hidden Hills after a fire erupted on the border of Los Angeles and Ventura on Thursday, threatening numerous homes in the vicinity. However, local news outlets have since reported that the evacuation order for Calabasas and Hidden Hills has been lifted.
Many high profile clebrities have lost their homes to the wildfires but Jeremy Clarkson insists that it’s unjust to downplay their hardship simply because of their celebrity status, emphasizing that they, like anyone else struck by tragedy, deserve recognition for their losses.
The British television host stressed the importance of focusing on the broader destruction of the wildfires, with all those affected warranting equal compassion and understanding. The presenter-turned-farmer slammed trolls for putting out “nonsense” after the tragedy in Los Angeles.
Clarkson, a prominent British celebrity himself, known for his work related to cars, rose to fame as the lead presenter on the BBC’s Top Gear. Not only did he review vehicles, but he also produced content that was known for being close to the nail and contentious.
Commenting on the issue, the broadcaster stated: “I know there are social media socialists saying, ‘They’re rich so it doesn’t matter’ But that’s nonsense. It doesn’t matter how much money you have, it always hurts to lose your photograph albums and your pets and your lifetime collection of fridge magnets. My heart, and I really mean this, goes out to everyone affected,” he added in his column for The Sun.
A view of burnt houses during the wildfire in Los Angeles County, California, January 9
The Santa Ana winds caused the fire to engulf 960 acres of bushland by 5.30pm on Thursday, with local officials reporting its continued spread and threat to homes in the Malibu Canyon area, north of the 1010 Freeway near Calabasas. In a statement, local incident commanders said: “The challenging terrain and persistent winds complicate suppression activities, necessitating heightened vigilance from residents and adherence to directives from local authorities.”
Aircraft have been persistently dousing the fires from above in an effort to extinguish them. In the meantime, a man has been detained by the Los Angeles Police Department on suspicion of arson in the Woodland Hills area, a mere five miles from the fire’s origin.
The police have stated that they are unable to confirm if this suspect is also connected to the Kenneth fire.