Dick Van Dyke evacuated in Malibu fire, days before 99th birthday
Malibu fire destroys homes as it grows to 3,900 acres
More than 700 firefighters continued to battle the Franklin Fire in Malibu that broke out Monday night near Malibu Canyon Road, north of the Pepperdine University campus. At last check, the fire had grown to more than 3,000 acres with 0% containment, fueled by strong Santa Ana winds. LiveNOW from FOX host Jeane Franseen spoke to FOX 11 reporter, Mario Ramirez on the latest.
Dick Van Dyke is among a handful of celebrities ordered to evacuate the wildfire in Malibu, Calif.
Here’s what to know about the 98-year-old actor amid the fire:
Dick Van Dyke evacuated
Van Dyke, one of many celebrities with homes in Malibu, said he and his wife, Arlene Silver, had evacuated as the fire swept in.
"Arlene and I have safely evacuated with our animals except for Bobo escaped as we were leaving," said Van Dyke on social media, referring to one of their cats. "We’re praying he’ll be OK and that our community in Serra Retreat will survive these terrible fires."
Fans quickly took to the comments section to send prayers and well wishes to the "Mary Poppins" star, who is just days away from celebrating a birthday.
Dick Van Dyke birthday
FILE - Dick Van Dyke wins Guest Performance in a Daytime Drama Series for "Days of our Lives" at the 51st Annual Daytime Emmys Awards on June 07, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Stewart Cook/Getty Images for NATAS)
Van Dyke was born on Dec. 13, 1925 in West Plains, Missouri. He’s turning 99 on Friday.
Franklin Fire in Malibu
A wildfire that started late Monday night in Malibu has become known as the Franklin Fire, and has forced up to 20,000 people from their homes.
The wind-driven blaze had grown to more than 6 square miles by Wednesday morning. It was not immediately known how the Franklin Fire started.
The fire shut down Pacific Coast Highway and fire authorities have reported a "minimal" number of homes destroyed. No fatalities or serious injuries had been reported.
The Franklin Fire has forced many celebrities, including Van Dyke, Cher and Barbra Streisand to evacuate.
THE LATEST: Franklin Fire in Malibu reaches nearly 3,900 acres as Santa Ana winds persist
Dick Van Dyke Coldplay video
Just a few days ago, the actor's home was featured in a music video for Coldplay's new song, "All My Love," which celebrated the actor's decades-long career in Hollywood. The video included moments of Van Dyke with his family, moments of reflection and footage of his many awards and accolades.
In the video, the actor reflects on his life, saying he is "not afraid" of death.
"I’m acutely aware that I could go any day now. But I don’t know why it doesn’t concern me. I’m not afraid of it," Van Dyke said in the video. "I have that feeling, totally against anything intellectual, that I’m going to be all right."
The Source: Information in this article was taken from a post on Dick Van Dyke’s public Facebook page, and information about the fire was taken from FOX 11 Los Angeles. This story was reported from Detroit.