Bill Hader is counting his blessings.
On Tuesday, Jan. 15, the Barry alum, 46, revealed that his home in the Pacific Palisades was still standing, though it endured a few damages amid the ongoing Los Angeles wildfires.
“People keep saying ‘unreal,’ …it doesn’t seem real,” he told KTLA 5 of the devastation from the fires in his neighborhood. “I’m sorry, I’m in shock. It’s just gone. Everything. The Alphabet streets, which is kind of, to me, the heart of the Palisades, this beautiful, beautiful area is gone. The whole thing is gone.”
When he received the notice to evacuate, Hader said he was at work and rushed back to make sure his home and his family were safe.
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“I got a video showing the fire and rushed back, but by the time I got back, [traffic] was gridlocked,” he recalled. “I’m glad my family got out. I feel this is such a great community. I really am, like, at a loss for words.”
“I mean, this happened so insanely fast … it’s kind of mind-boggling how fast it happens. So I just hope everybody’s safe. That’s all you can hope right now,” he added.
Hader also addressed other Los Angeles residents near the ongoing fires around the city and encouraged people to evacuate while they can.
“If you get an evacuation notice, just leave,” he said. “I do know people who were like ‘Well, wait and see’ and things like, ‘I’m in the yellow zone’ or whatever. This thing, once it went red, you couldn’t get out.”
“Don’t listen to your friends who are like ‘Ah, you’re being a little freaked out.’ Just get out,” he added.
The fires, which began on Tuesday, Jan. 7, have spread quickly in different parts of the city, and information is still evolving about the scale of the destruction and when the blazes will be contained. The disaster has left tens of thousands of Los Angeles residents displaced after evacuating their homes.
Since then, Hader has lent his services to spread awareness about the blazes. On Thursday, Jan. 10, the comedian approached ABC7’s crew in Los Angeles with an offer to help.
In a tweet shared to X, ABC7 journalist, Josh Haskell revealed that he and his crew were in for a shock when Hader approached them in the Pacific Palisades.
“An only in LA moment on Thursday at road block for #PalisadesFire,” Haskell wrote alongside a photo of Hader wearing a mask and holding up a peace sign. “Resident trying to gain access came up to news van as if he was part of our team, wanted to help cover, ride with us.”
“Then, he pulled down his mask, smiled and it was Bill Hader! Couldn’t have been nicer!” he added.
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