The hosts of several late-night shows filmed in New York have paid tribute to the people of Los Angeles as deadly fires tear through the area.
Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers all took a moment at the beginning of their shows on Wednesday night to share a serious message about the fast-moving fires in L.A., which have so far claimed the lives of five people and burned through more than 27,000 acres.
Colbert began by sharing a dramatic photo taken from a plane flying over the flames.
“We know people of Los Angeles are resourceful and kind and they’re doing everything they can to help one another,” he said on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert . “We here want to send our love and concern to all of the residents of Los Angeles who are facing what is being described as the most destructive fire in the city’s history.”
The host directed viewers to a QR code where they could donate to help organizations supporting communities affected by the fires.
Meyers similarly began by acknowledging those affected by the infernos. “Before we kick things off, we just want to send our love to everybody in the Los Angeles area in California right now who are dealing with wildfires,” he said on Late Night With Seth Meyers.
“The scenes we’re seeing on television are obviously harrowing and there are no real words that I can share other than that we are thinking about you and we are hoping for your safety,” Meyers added.
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon host said that the footage of the fires was “surreal.”
“Hey everybody, before we start the show I just want to say that our hearts go out to everyone in Los Angeles right now dealing with the massive wildfires out there,” Fallon said. “You see the footage on TV and it’s just surreal, we have so many friends who’ve been affected.
“We just hope that everyone stays safe, including all the firefighters and everyone else trying to contain it,” he added. “Stay safe, we love you, L.A.”
Jamie-Lee Curtis flew in from L.A. to join Fallon on the show, where she fought back tears about the fires.
“I’m literally just about to cry,” she told Fallon. “Where I live is on fire right now. Literally, the entire city of the Pacific Palisades is burning.”
“This is literally where I live. Everything. The market I shop in, the schools my kids go to… Many, many, many, many friends now have lost their homes, so it is, it’s a really awful situation,” Curtis said.
There have been some signs of progress after fire crews have battled for more than 48 hours to contain the blaze.
At a press conference on Thursday morning, Los Angeles Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said that the growth of one of the blazes — the Eaton fire — has been “significantly stopped.”
Officials said that significant progress has been made as the winds have weakened. However, they warned citizens to “proceed with caution.”
The Palisades fire, now the most destructive L.A. has seen, has so far burned more than 17,200 acres, while the Eaton fire scorched some 10,600 acres. The Sunset fire in Hollywood has engulfed 60 acres.
