Meryl Streep proved to be her own rescuer when she found herself trapped during the devastating Los Angeles wildfires earlier this month.
“Evacuation orders were issued across the city,” Meryl’s nephew, Abe Streep, detailed in a article published on Tuesday, January 28.
“My aunt, Meryl Streep, was instructed to evacuate on January 8, but when she attempted to leave, she discovered a massive tree had fallen across her driveway, completely blocking her only way out.”
Despite the dangerous circumstances, the 75-year-old actress took matters into her own hands. “Determined to escape, she borrowed wire cutters from a neighbor, cut a car-sized hole in the fence she shared with the neighbors on the other side, and drove through their yard to get to safety,” Abe wrote, highlighting her quick thinking and resolve.
On January 7, wildfires ravaged several acres around the greater Los Angeles area, including Altadena and the Pacific Palisades. Meryl reportedly owns a property in nearby Pasadena, which was dangerously close to the Eaton Fire in Altadena.
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Martin Short—who has been rumored to be romantically linked to his Only Murders in the Building co-star Meryl Streep—was also forced to evacuate his home in the Palisades in early January.
According to Abe, the actor acted swiftly to retrieve family photo albums after one of his sons called to ensure he was getting ready to leave.
Meryl Streep Forced to Cut a Car-Sized Hole in Fence to Escape L.A. Wildfires
“Short drove toward the Pacific Coast Highway, only to find the neighborhood exits were completely jammed,” Abe recounted, noting that Short, 74, had faced a similar wildfire threat in 1993, though firefighters had successfully saved his home back then.
Meryl Streep (Photo: Getty Images)
The Saturday Night Live alum “waited in his car for over an hour to travel a distance that would normally take just five minutes” while trying to flee the area. Meanwhile, some residents abandoned their vehicles and fled on foot in an effort to escape more quickly.
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Short’s home ultimately survived the fire, but one of his sons lost their residence. “I will absolutely stay in my home,” Short told Abe once he came to terms with the situation.
Actor Haley Joel Osment also endured a harrowing evacuation from his Altadena, California, home. “After letting his dogs out in the yard, he noticed a thick plume of black smoke and an ominous glow from the canyon,” Abe wrote of Osment’s firsthand experience during the Eaton Fire.
“Realizing the danger, he quickly gathered his dogs, passport, and family photos before heading to his parents’ house nearby.”
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Both Osment, 36, and his parents lost their homes in the wildfire’s destruction. However, The Sixth Sense actor has since shared that he intends to rebuild on the same property.
As of Tuesday, officials have reported 12 fatalities from the Palisades Fire and 17 from the Eaton Fire. The Palisades Fire has scorched more than 23,000 acres and is now 95 percent contained, according to the latest update from Cal Fire.
Meanwhile, the Eaton Fire, which has burned 1,021 acres since it ignited, is currently 99 percent contained, per Cal Fire’s report.
