Actress Meryl Streep Narrowly Escaped Wildfires By Frantically Cutting Car-Sized Escape Hole In Fence, Nephew Says

Meryl Streep’s nephew recalled the harrowing moment when he said the legendary actress had to frantically cut a hole in her fence to escape the wildfires.

Abe Streep explained the frightening experience in an article for New York Magazine published Tuesday. He wrote that the Oscar-award winning actress attempted to comply with evacuation orders when the wildfires threatened her neighborhood but was met with a horrifying surprise.

“My aunt Meryl Streep received an order to evacuate on January 8, but when she tried to leave, she discovered that a large tree had fallen over in her driveway, blocking her only exit,” Abe wrote. He went on to describe the star’s sheer determination to flee to safety.

“Determined to make it out, she borrowed wire cutters from a neighbor, cut a car-size hole in the fence she shared with the neighbors on the other side, and drove through their yard to escape,” Abe wrote for New York Magazine.

Steep’s home is located in Pasadena, near the Eaton Fire, according to Realtor.com. LA County data suggests that her home was spared, but other stars were not as lucky.

Among the celebrities whose homes were destroyed in the fires are Anthony Hopkins, Mel Gibson, Billy Crystal, Paris Hilton, Heidi Montag and Eugene Levy.

A fire fighting helicopter drops water as the Palisades fire grows near the Mandeville Canyon neighborhood and Encino, California, on January 11, 2025. The Palisades Fire, the largest of the Los Angeles fires, spread toward previously untouched neighborhoods January 11, forcing new evacuations and dimming hopes that the disaster was coming under control. Across the city, at least 11 people have died as multiple fires have ripped through residential areas since January 7, razing thousands of homes in destruction that US President Joe Biden likened to a “war scene.” (Photo by Patrick T. Fallon / AFP) (Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)

The New York Times provided an update on California’s current state of affairs Monday, a full two weeks after the flames began to ravage the area. They noted that there have been 28 confirmed deaths and thousands of residents were evacuated. The publication estimated that thousands of buildings were burned down and reported that the two largest fires in the vicinity have not yet been fully contained. In addition, new fires are still igniting. (RELATED: Dick Van Dyke Digs His Heels In The Ground, Refuses To Leave Fire Ravaged Area)

Cal Fire has reported that the Palisades Fire has charred over 23,000 acres. Over 40,000 acres in the Los Angeles area have been destroyed, according to the agency.