Tom Hanks’ son, Chet Hanks, has asked for prayers for his hometown of Pacific Palisades, which is currently being ravaged by ravenous wildfires.
The 34-year-old shared the message on his Instagram page as he mourned the loss of properties engulfed by the natural disaster.
Like Chet, several other celebrities have also spoken up about the wildfires, calling for prayers amid the efforts of firefighters.
Experts have also predicted that the worst is yet to come, as the Pacific Palisades area is also experiencing rising winds and low humidity.
The Actor’s Son Called For Prayers For Pacific Palisades
As the Pacific Palisades continues to be consumed by a horrifying wildfire, Chet Hanks has taken to his Instagram Story to call for prayers.
The son of renowned actor Tom Hanks is closely affiliated with the Los Angeles neighborhood, having grown up there, although he now resides in Nashville, Tennessee.
“The neighborhood I grew up in is burning to the ground rn [right now]. Pray for Palisades,” Chet appealed to his followers, alongside a prayer hand emoji.
While Chet no longer lives in the area, his parents still own a massive 14,513-square-foot mansion there, which cost $26 million when they purchased it in 2010.
It is unclear if the home was also caught up in the ravaging wildfires, as neither Chet nor his father, Tom, have revealed any such information yet.
Other Celebrities Have Spoken Up About The Wildfires
Amid the damage from the wildfires, several celebrities have voiced concerns over the spreading destruction.
“Hope everybody gets out safely … leaving,” said Oscar-nominated actor James Woods on his X page.
The “Ghosts of Mississippi Leaving” star also shared multiple posts showing the damage from the disaster, including a clip of a hillside blaze.
Actor Chris Pratt also took to his social media to call for prayers, just like Chet.
“Please send prayers and strength tonight to everyone in Los Angeles affected by these devastating fires,” he urged his followers.
The “Guardians of the Galaxy” star, who is a resident of the neighborhood, also thanked the firefighters for their efforts.
He wrote, “Thank you to the brave firefighters and first responders who are working tirelessly to protect lives, homes, and wildlife as they battle fast-moving wildfire fueled by fierce winds.”
“You are true heroes, and we are endlessly grateful for your sacrifice and courage,” the actor continued.
James Woods’ Home Was Affected By The Pacific Palisades Fire
Our deck three minutes ago. pic.twitter.com/KpZDELpN8L
— James Woods (@RealJamesWoods) January 7, 2025
Woods revealed on X that the wildfire had set off all the fire alarms in his home, implying that his house had been caught in the blaze.
“All the smoke detectors are going off in our house and transmitting to our iPhones,” the actor wrote. “I couldn’t believe our lovely little home in the hills held on this long. It feels like losing a loved one.”
In another post, Woods said, “I took this last night from our beautiful little home in the Palisades. Now, all the fire alarms are going off at once remotely. It tests your soul, losing everything at once, I must say.”
He has also hinted that getting insurance support might be an issue, revealing in a tweet that “one of the major insurances [sic] companies canceled all the policies in our neighborhood about four months ago.”
Firefighters Efforts Are Being Hurt By Lack Of Water From Hydrants
According to reports, many of the fire hydrants in Pacific Palisades have run dry, further hindering the efforts of firefighters.
“There’s no water in the fire hydrants,” L.A. developer Rick Caruso told the LA Times. “The firefighters are there [in the neighborhood], and there’s nothing they can do — we’ve got neighborhoods burning, homes burning, and businesses burning. … It should never happen.”
While it is unclear why the fire hydrants are facing these issues or how many were affected, the Department of Water and Power has issued a statement assuring that the problem is being resolved “to ensure the availability of water supplies.”
“This area is served by water tanks and close coordination is underway to continue supplying the area,” the governmental organization added in their statement.
Climate Scientist Claims The Worst Is Yet To Come
Experts have also forecasted that the worst is yet to come, as increasing winds have exacerbated the wildfire.
“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 shared in a briefing per The Times.
He also shared that the strongest and most widespread winds are yet to come, and the situation could worsen further due to the low humidity in the area.
These winds have forced crews to ground firefighting aircraft that had been deploying water onto the blazes, as the winds disperse the water or retardant before it can effectively reach the fire.
The winds are also expected to reach as high as 60 mph through Thursday, which could have further devastating effects.
Over 30,000 residents in the area have already been evacuated amid the disaster, while scores of businesses and homes have been burned.
