Sir Brian May, 77, ‘horrified’ as he shares concern over ‘dear friends’ caught up in devastating LA inferno
Sir Brian May has offered his condolences to the residents of Los Angeles as the relentless wildfires continue to destroy the Californian city.
Devastating photos and footage have depicted the devastation, with the latest reports suggesting at least five people have died and hundreds of thousands of people have been forced to leave their homes. Queen legend May, 77, stated he feels “a pain in my heart” over the tragedy.
Sharing a photo of the ferocious flames with his 3.4 million Instagram followers, the guitarist penned on Instagram: “Horrified and saddened to see the devastating fires in Los Angeles.
“I feel a pain in my heart. Sending prayers for the safety of all our dear friends in LA. Bri.”
Fans shared his heartache in the comments section, with some detailing their own experience with the blaze.
“My brother in law and sister in law checked in with us today and the fires are about ten miles from them where they live in LA but they are keeping a close eye on things. As my sister in law said, …’any way the wind blows…’ can make a significant difference,” one commented.
“My prayers are for all the people whose lives are in the line of this and for the fire fighters putting their lives on the line every day. May God bless them all!” another shared.
A third added: “It was such a horrible thing to read in the news. Three huge wildfires being fanned up by the bad wind. I pray that everyone is kept safe.”
“Thank you Brian, I am safe right now and not in evacuation zone, but I feel very anxious,” one more revealed.
“Absolutely horrible!!! I pray that they have safe recovery,” someone else commented.
“It’s crazy here bri. I’ve never seen anything like this in 25 plus years living here. It’s a really sad day houses burned down lives ruined!” one Instagram user added. (sic)
May’s statement comes as tens of thousands of residents in Southern California have been forced to flee their homes as the fires tear through the Pacific Palisades and surrounding areas.
Wind gusts reaching speeds of up to 100 miles per hour have caused fires to rapidly spread across the region.
The Pacific Palisades fire has already consumed 2,900 acres as of Wednesday morning, according to local authorities.
The National Weather Service has issued high wind warnings for multiple areas, including Los Angeles County beaches, downtown Los Angeles, and the Palos Verdes Hills, with forecasts predicting north winds of 30 to 40 mph and gusts up to 60 mph.
Experts warn the situation is set to deteriorate further before any improvement can be expected.
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The National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center cautioned that whilst winds should gradually weaken throughout Wednesday, “critical fire weather conditions are expected to persist into Thursday.”
Among those forced to evacuate were several recognisable Hollywood figures, with socialite Paris Hilton claiming to have witnessed on television her Malibu house “burn to the ground“.
Meanwhile, Oscar-nominee James Woods broke down in tears on US TV as he detailed his family’s flee from the blaze.
The like of Eugene Levy, Anna Faris, Mark Hammill, and several other famous faces have also shared the devastating impact the inferno has had on their homes.