Actor Steve Guttenberg may not be a real first responder, but the “Police Academy” star is still reporting for duty, stepping up to help protect his community from a raging brushfire ripping through parts of Los Angeles.
The blaze initially broke out around 10:30 a.m. local time on Tuesday, just southeast of Palisades Drive, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said. Since then, the wind-fueled flames have burned through almost 3,000 acres, destroying multiple homes in Pacific Palisades, including one owned by reality television stars Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag.
By late evening, authorities issued an evacuation order for much of the ritzy neighborhood, which is home to about 27,000 residents.
Guttenberg, also known for his roles in “It Takes Two” and “Three Men and a Baby,” during an interview with KTLA urged his neighbors against abandoning their cars amid their efforts to flee. If that’s not possible, he asked that residents leave their keys so he can move their vehicles and clear the way for first responders.
“What’s happening is people take their keys with them as if they’re in a parking lot,” he told KTLA.
“This is not a parking lot. We really need people to move their cars,” the 66-year-old actor continued.. “If you leave your car behind, leave the key in there so a guy like me can move your car so that these fire trucks can get up there.
Guttenberg, who has lived in the Palisades area for three decades, told Entertainment Weekly he “started just moving cars” after he realized fire trucks were having a hard time accessing certain streets.
“In a crisis, always remember that you are, you’re part of a community, and if you’re able-bodied, you’ve got to help,” he added. “You’ve got to help. You can’t walk by somebody when they need something.”
