There has been all kinds of heroism that emerged in Los Angeles amid the horrifying wildfires ravaging the city. And one of those moments involves an icon of '80s cinema.
Actor Steve Guttenberg, best known for his roles in '80s classics like Police Academy, Short Circuit and Three Men And A Baby, is going viral after stepping in to help first responders.
The moment was caught by local news station KTLA as Guttenberg was helping emergency personnel in Pacific Palisades move abandoned cars that were blocking roads after evacuees fled.
Speaking to KTLA, Guttenberg said he'd been urging evacuees to leave their car keys behind so that he could help clear the road.
He told a reporter:
“What’s happening is, people take their keys with them as if they’re in a parking lot. This is not a parking lot."
"If you leave your car on Palisades Drive, leave the key in there so a guy like me can move your car...so that these fire trucks can get up there.”
Funnily enough, the KTLA reporter didn't seem to recognize Guttenberg, who only works sporadically these days. But when he mentioned he was an actor, reporter Gene Kang quickly realized who he was talking to.
- YouTubeyoutu.be
It was a much needed, albeit brief, moment of levity amid the horrifying scenario, which Guttenberg told CNN in a separate interview is the worst he's seen in three decades of living in the neighborhood. He told CNN's Laura Coates:
“I haven’t seen anything like this in my entire life and I don’t think many people have."
Guttenberg also told CNN he'd been able to help rescue pets home alone while their owner happened to be traveling out of town when the fires started. He went on to say:
“This is the time for us to remember that we’re part of a community. [People] have to help each other and be kind to each other. If you see somebody who needs help, help them. Ask them what they need.”
On social media, there has been an outpouring of appreciation for Guttenberg's communal spirit and heroism.
As of this writing, the situation in Los Angeles has improved, but only slightly. The enormous Palisades fire is currently at 6% containment, the Hurst fire near Sylmar is at 37% containment, and the Sunset fire that erupted January 8 in Hollywood is 100% contained.
But on January 9, the Kenneth fire began burning near Calabasas and Ventura County. That fire is believed to have been started by an arsonist, and a suspect has been detained.
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