Ricki Lake published a detailed series of posts on Instagram on Thursday about the destruction of her Malibu home amid the ongoing wildfires in California.
The former talk show host, 56, said Tuesday was the day she and husband Ross Burningham lost their home in the fires, and documented the timeline of events.
“If I’m anything at all, I’m a survivor,” Lake said in a text message over a somber selfie.
Lake said she saw “early signs of smoke in Temescal Canyon” at 11:24 a.m. Tuesday, prompting her and Burningham to set up a fire protection system they had on hand, including sprinklers.
On Tuesday at 4:10 p.m., Lake said Burningham used a hose to put out a fire in a palm tree on their neighbor’s property.
The Hastings-on-Hudson, New York-born star said that two hours later, Burningham tried to “siphon gas for the fire protection system engine,” which “didn’t work.”
Ricki Lake, 56, took to Instagram on Thursday with a detailed series of posts detailing the destruction of her Malibu home amid California’s ongoing wildfires
The former talk show host, 56, said Tuesday was the day she and husband Ross Burningham lost their home in the fires, and documented the timeline of events.
Lake, who appeared in John Waters films such as 1988’s Hairspray and 1990’s Cry-Baby, said she and Burningham were faced with the question at 6:55 p.m.: “Do we stay or do we go?”
Lake said she and her husband — whom she married at the home in January 2022 — were assessing the merits of attempting to save the home for their physical safety amid the windy overnight fires.
Lake said, “We finally gave up our efforts and left our house at 8:02 p.m.,” and were “thankful that we made it out alive and unscathed.”
She added: ‘If we had stayed there is no doubt we would not have survived.’
Lake shared dashcam footage of her exit through the winding roads of Malibu at night.
Lake said she was “praying” for locals and their homes amid the carnage caused by the fires.
“I think I just said goodbye to my house,” Lake said.
Lake described friend Kirby Kotler as “our absolute angel” to whom she would be “forever grateful,” adding, “He did everything he could to save our prized possession.”
Lake said she “shared” the post “for anyone who asked,” and thanked her 397,000 followers “for the love and well wishes” amid the tough times.
Lake noticed a “huge fire in the Palisades” early Tuesday before it spread to Malibu
Lake and her husband made every effort to extinguish the flames and evacuated the home
Tuesday at 4:10 p.m., Lake said Burningham used a hose to put out a fire in a palm tree on their neighbor’s property
The Hastings-on-Hudson, New York-born star said that two hours later, Burningham tried to “siphon gas for the fire protection system engine,” which “didn’t work.”
Lake shared dashcam footage of her exit through the winding roads of Malibu at night
She concluded by saying, “Again, please pray for those affected by this catastrophic event and help if you are able. “Bless our brave firefighters and first responders. May they remain safe.”
Lake was among a number of celebrities whose homes were destroyed in the fires, a list that included names such as Anthony Hopkins, Tina Knowles, Candy Spelling, Paris Hilton, Spencer Pratt and John Goodman.
Authorities in Los Angeles said at least 10,000 homes, buildings and various structures burned in the fires, which killed 10 people Thursday evening.
The Palisades Fire has burned more than 5,300 buildings, officials said, while the Eaton Fire, located near Pasadena, has burned more than 5,000 buildings.
“We expect this fire to spread quickly due to high winds,” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said Thursday.