Oprah Winfrey’s home evacuated as Southern California wildfire draws near
May 9th, 2009 - 5:41 pm ICT by ANI
Washington, May 9 (ANI): The Southern California wildfire have forced American talk show queen Oprah Winfrey’s home to be evacuated.
Sources have revealed that the wildfire has reached within a few miles of Winfrey’s coastal ranch.
Winfrey’s 50 million-dollar mansion is located just outside of Santa Barbara.
According to reports, movers have been packing her belongings to prepare for the evacuation as the blaze continues to spread.
“The fires are nearby, but her house is not within the mandatory evacuation area. We’re continuing to monitor,” Us Weekly quoted a representative for Winfrey as telling.
Michelle Phillips, an employee at the Jesusita Fire County Emergency Call Center, revealed that Downtown Montecito was currently “under warning”.
“Residents should be ready to evacuate their homes at a moment’s notice,” Phillips said, adding that evacuation was mandatory at the moment.
“The (distance of the fire) can change very quickly, which is why residents are strongly advised to evacuate now while they still can,” Phillips added.
Dry air and high winds have frustrated efforts to control the wildfire, which began Tuesday and has driven more than 30,500 people from their homes on the edge of Santa Barbara.
According to Bloomberg.com, it has cost more than 2.6 million dollars to battle the wildfire.
The report further reveals that only 10 percent of the fire is contained, and that it has damaged 75 homes so far. (ANI)
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