The California wildfires that ignited on January 7, 2025, have wreaked unprecedented havoc across the state.
More than 40,000 acres in the greater Los Angeles area have been ravaged, reducing entire communities to ashes and destroying over 12,300 structures.
The fires have displaced approximately 100,000 people, including prominent Hollywood figures like Mandy Moore, Cary Elwes, and Paris Hilton.
The state fire agency reported that the Palisades Fire is the largest in the area, having burned over 23,000 acres.
Other blazes, such as the Eaton fire, which consumed 14,117 acres, and the Hurst fire, which destroyed 799 acres, added to the widespread destruction and grief.
Read: 12 Filipino celebrities who quit showbiz and moved abroad
PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) checks out the Filipino celebrities who have publicly talked about their properties in California real estate, particularly near the area affected by the wildfires.
Read: 28 Filipino celebrities now living in the U.S.
Piolo Pascual
Piolo Pascual is among the Filipino celebrities who own properties in the United States, including homes in Las Vegas, Nevada, and Los Angeles, California.
While he has expressed a fondness for his Las Vegas residence, which he described as quiet and exclusive, Piolo also drops by his Los Angeles property from time to time, especially since his son Iñigo based there.
This Los Angeles home—a gift Piolo gave his mother, Amy—holds sentimental value for the Pascual family.
In a 2012 interview with YES! magazine, Piolo shared how he wanted his mom to have a more spacious and relaxing place to live in.
Initially, Amy was reluctant to leave her first home in Monterey Park, California, but with the encouragement of her children, she eventually moved to the quieter and more serene neighborhood of Diamond Bar.
On January 7, The Washington Post reported that the smoke from the fires has reached the far east Diamond Bar, about 30 miles from downtown LA.
Inigo Pascual
Singer-actor Iñigo Pascual, Piolo's son, recently experienced the devastation of the wildfires firsthand.
He and his family, along with their pets, were forced to evacuate their home.
Once they reached safety, Iñigo took to social media to thank those who checked in on them and shared his concern for others affected by the disaster.
"Praying and claiming for this to end soon," he wrote, urging his followers to offer prayers for the safety and well-being of everyone affected.
Ivana Alawi
While Ivana Alawi gained fame for her YouTube stints and social media presence, much of her personal life, including her real estate holdings, remains relatively private.
Ivana, known for inheriting a mansion in Bahrain and owning several luxurious properties in the Philippines, has now revealed that she also owns a home in Los Angeles, California.
As devastating wildfires raged across the region, Ivana took to her social media platforms to express concern for her property in the city.
The Kapamilya actress shared a photo on her Instagram Stories that captured the tense atmosphere surrounding her home.
She wrote, "Outside our house rn. Pray for LA."
Liza Soberano
Liza Soberano has been based in Los Angeles as she works to make a name for herself in the international film scene.
In 2024, she achieved a significant milestone with her Hollywood debut in the horror-comedy Lisa Frankenstein, where she played Taffy, the stepsister of the main character.
This big career step prompted the Fil-Am actress to put money down for an apartment in Los Angeles, which she and her dad, John Soberano, designed and furnished.
In addition to attending prestigious Hollywood events, Liza has been enrolled in acting classes and actively auditioning for roles.
Although she wasn’t in Los Angeles during the recent wildfires, Liza took to social media to thank those who reached out:
"Thank you to everyone who checked in on me.
"I’m okay. I'm not in LA as of the moment. But my heart goes out to all of my friends in LA. Praying for everyone’s safety."
BB Gandanghari
BB Gandanghari has called Los Angeles home for several years, sharing her space with her beloved dog, Bogart.
After spending seven years in the United States, BB briefly returned to the Philippines in December 2022 to reunite with her family and explore potential showbiz projects.
During her visit, BB shared her willingness to return to Philippine entertainment, as long as the right opportunities arise.
For now, she is focused on her life in Los Angeles, where she enjoys a quieter, more private lifestyle.
She has gone back to school, too.
Based on her Instagram posts, she is presently a student at The Los Angeles Film School, which suspended the classes from January 8 to 13 "due to SoCal fires & wind."
Read: BB Gandanghari returns to PH after 7 years; reunites with mom Eva Cariño, brother Robin Padilla
Klaudia Koronel
Starting a new life in Los Angeles was no easy feat for Milfe Dacula, better known as Klaudia Koronel, after her separation from her former husband, Chinese-American businessman Andy Zhang.
In an exclusive interview with PEP in April 2023, Klaudia opened up about the struggles she endured as a caregiver, dealing with rude patients who physically and emotionally torment her.
Still, such experiences pale in comparison to the life-threatening crisis she faced amid the recent wildfires.
"Masusunog na po ang bahay namin. God napakabilis. Relax pa ako kanina kasi sa isip ko malayo naman Palisades fire," she shared on her Facebook page on January 8.
"Tapos biglang natanaw ko may apoy na sa likod bahay at naka-receive ako ng alert na lumikas na kami."
In a subsequent post, she detailed how the strong winds fueled the fire's rapid spread: "Ito ang bahay namin ng pasyente ko. Nasa likod na ang apoy, napakabilis kasi napakalakas ng hangin, may bagyo kasi ngayon.
"Nasa likod na! Kaya nag-evacuate na kami. Di ko alam kung may uuwian pa kami bukas."
Stuck in a traumatized state, she added: "Hanggang ngayon traumatized ako. Kasi pag nakaka-recieve ako ng emergency alert, natataranta ako at nagpa-panic."
Klaudia further made headlines when she revealed in an interview with Julius Babao that she was able to rescue her 75-year-old patient, who was suffering from dementia, from the tragedy.
Amanda Page
Amanda Page, who started her career through sultry roles and a stint in the long-running gag show Bubble Gang in the 1990s, bid farewell to showbiz in 2000.
She has since embraced a private life in Ventura, California, with her husband of 13 years, Dr. Lee Mendiola, and their son Mason.
Currently, Amanda assists Lee in managing their psychiatry clinic, a far cry from her glamorous showbiz days.
In 2022, Amanda, now going by the name Anna, shared a proud moment with PEP: her son Mason, then nine years old, had been inducted as the newest member of American Mensa, the renowned high IQ society.
Mason qualified after scoring in the 98th percentile or higher on a supervised intelligence test, achieving an exceptional IQ of 149.
American Mensa, the world’s most prestigious high-IQ society, confirmed his membership in a congratulatory letter.
Amanda admitted she was surprised by her son’s achievement, but recalled noticing Mason’s exceptional intellect even at a young age.
"Ikinagulat ko, pero bata pa lang, napansin na namin ang kakaibang talino niya," she shared, attributing his brilliance to his innate curiosity and critical thinking.
Meanhwile, on January 13, CNN reported that "new fire" erupted in Southern California.
"According to the Ventura County Fire Department, the blaze is at 0% containment and has scorched 56 acres, but firefighters have halted its forward progress."
Read: Amanda Page's son Mason qualifies to join high-IQ society Mensa
OTHER CELEBRITIES WHO OWN LIVE IN CALIFORNIA
Thankfully, the house locations of these stars are not part of the fire zone.
Kris Bernal
In 2018, StarStruck Season 4 Ultimate Survivor Kris Bernal told PEP that she and her family purchased a house in West Covina, California.
The property spans 3,750 square feet with a floor area of 2,022 square feet. It features five bedrooms and a loft, making it a spacious and comfortable retreat for her family.
Kris said her mother, who believed that U.S. real estate appreciates better than savings in a bank, convinced her to make the investment.
After eight months of house-hunting, the Bernal family finally agreed on purchasing the West Covina property in April 2018.
The celebrity mom shared her gratitude for this milestone, saying, "We thank God for this wonderful blessing. It was a good buy kasi ngayon, medyo tumaas na iyong value nong house."
Manny Pacquiao
Boxing legend Manny Pacquiao once owned two luxurious properties in Los Angeles.
His first mansion, located in Hancock Park, was a five-bedroom Mediterranean-style villa that gained fame after being featured on MTV's Cribs.
The estate, which Manny purchased in 2009, included six bathrooms, a gourmet kitchen, and a master suite with a glass shower and bathtub.
In 2013, Manny listed the Hancock Park mansion for USD2.17 million (roughly PHP115.9 million) and upgraded to a USD12.5 million (PHP665 million) Beverly Hills estate.
This expansive property spans 10,000 square feet and boasts a chef's kitchen, a home theater, and his-and-hers master suites with custom walk-in closets.
Interestingly, the mansion was previously owned by rapper-producer Sean Combs, also known as P. Diddy.
Anjanette Abayari
Anjanette Abayari, best known for portraying Darna in the 1994 film Mars Ravelo’s Darna! Ang Pagbabalik, is another Filipino celebrity based in Los Angeles.
She shares her life there with her husband, Pastor Gary Pangan, and their two sons.
Her journey to this quiet life in California was not without challenges. A 1999 incident in Guam, where she was apprehended with drug paraphernalia, led to her being declared persona non grata in the Philippines.
Reflecting on the incident years later, the celebrity mom shared how it became a turning point in her life, teaching her lessons about acceptance and growth.
An article published by Esquire Philippines in 2017 recounted what happened.
"I was just as shocked as everybody else," she said.
"But I've learned to accept it. For a while I was angry, not at God, but at everyone else. I didn't want to look inside and see what part I played in it."
Read: Anjanette Abayari recalls dark past in showbiz, wrong choice of boyfriends
G Tongi, Princess Punzalan, Donita Rose, and Krista Ranillo also live in California.