Academy Award winner Mel Gibson was recording with podcaster Joe Rogan in Austin, Texas when he learned that his Malibu home was likely burning to the ground.
“I was kind of ill at ease while we were talking because I knew my neighborhood was on fire,” the polarizing filmmaker told NewsNation on Thursday.
When Gibson returned home, he found his place “looked like Dresden.”
Despite the tragedy, the 69-year-old showbiz vet was in relatively good spirits because his family and the chickens in his yard were mostly unharmed.
Gibson said he’d lived in the home for about 15 years and lost photographs and other personal items of sentimental value.
“You know, it’s emotional,” Gibson confessed. “It was home to me.”
The “Mad Max” star said the fires in his neighborhood seemed to strike at random, but his home was “perfectly burnt.” The gruff New York native claimed his house was so thoroughly destroyed it almost appeared to have been intentionally set on fire.
Gibson seemed uncertain to what extent his place was insured while considering what to do next. He’s unsure if he’ll rebuild in the same spot.
Among the neighbors he believed to have also been in the line of fire was fellow Oscar winner Ed Harris. The pair reportedly teamed up to oppose the installation of 5G towers in their Malibu neighborhood. In a letter posted online by the Environmental Health Trust, Harris wondered what would happen if such towers sparked a fire in that community.
The cause of the wildfires that have ripped through Malibu and other parts of Los Angeles County remains unknown. Their rapid spread has been blamed on heavy winds and dry conditions.
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