TV star describes ‘mind-blowing’ devastation as she fled her home in California
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A prominent entrepreneur in California has spoken of her devastation at having to flee her home as the wildfires raged near her neighbourhood. Former Londoner Marissa Hermer told Metro of the ‘mind-blowing’ few minutes she had to pack up what belongings she could in one of the areas worst hit by the blazes that have ravaged Los Angeles for four days.
She was on a canyon hike with her two dogs and a friend on Tuesday when they rounded a bend and she spotted smoke over the coastal Pacific Palisades neighbourhood, including near her children’s school. Marissa, who starred in reality TV show ‘Ladies of London’ on Bravo, managed to pick up her children before proceeding on foot to her home after a friend told her it was too dangerous to drive.
![[PACIFIC PALISADES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 09: In an aerial view, destroyed homes are seen as the Palisades Fire continues to burn on January 09, 2025 in Pacific Palisades, California. Multiple wildfires fueled by intense Santa Ana Winds are burning across Los Angeles County. At least five people have been killed, and over 25,000 acres have burned. Over 2,000 structures have also burned and almost 180,000 people are under orders to evacuate. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/SEI_235521042-efae.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
She spoke as the Los Angeles wildfires burnt for a fourth day, claiming at least 10 lives and forcing 179,000 people to evacuate their homes. ‘The flames were at my back so I got out and walked,’ she said. ‘I went to a friend’s house and borrowed his car and tried to get to my neighbourhood but the police had cordoned it off.
‘I parked and walked in and grabbed whatever I could, my children’s stuffed animals, phones, passports and walked out. ‘I was thinking “what do I pack?”. ‘It’s mind-blowing when you’re in that situation, I was there for five minutes.’. Describing the ‘very scary’ scene, Marissa, 43, said: ‘We live at the beach and it’s all mountainside, the mountains were on fire.
