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The California wildfires ripped through Los Angeles and beyond in early January 2025. Celebrities living in Southern California are sharing the destruction online, with many of them losing their homes to the natural disaster. Soap opera stars have also experienced the tragic effects. The Young and the Restless star Eric Braeden posted a “goodbye” to his LA home on Instagram before evacuating. Here’s what to know.

‘The Young and the Restless’ star Eric Braeden posted a ‘goodbye’ video amid the LA wildfires

The Young and the Restless icon Eric Braeden is one of the many soap opera stars affected by the wildfires. The Victor Newman actor posted two clips to Instagram showing the devastation near his home. He and his wife, Dale Gudegast, lived in their Santa Monica home for 40 years.

“Behind my house! The worst EVER in LA!” he captioned an Instagram clip from Jan. 7, 2025. The clip shows the fires encroaching on his property.

The next day, Braeden posted an updated video of the fires still burning brightly on the poolside of his property. The fires didn’t appear any more contained. The actor revealed that he had to evacuate his home to find safety.

“We’re going to have to evacuate our house. … To see this beautiful area go up in flames — unbelievable,” he’s heard saying in the clip captioned, “saying goodbye.” He ended the clip by saying, “God bless you all. Be cool. Bye.”

Braeden’s co-star, Melissa Ordway, commented on his first clip. “Oh my gosh. Eric. Thinking of you and praying. Love you,” she wrote.

Beth Maitland, who plays Traci in the series, also commented, “Prayers rising, dear one.”

Eric Braeden and his wife, Dale Russell Gudegast, posing together
Eric Braeden (R) and Dale Russell Gudegast attend the CBS Daytime #1 for 30 Years at The Paley Center for Media on Oct. 10, 2016 | David Livingston/Getty Images
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Soap favorite Adrienne Frantz says she has room if her friends and family need a place to stay

Other soap opera stars aside from Eric Braeden are posting about the wildfire devastation. Adrienne Frantz, known for her roles in The Bold and the Beautiful (1997–2005, 2010–2012) and The Young and the Restless (2006–2010, 2013), posted her observations and condolences to Instagram.

“I’m so sad for L.A. and pray for everyone. So many people have lost their homes. It’s bad,” Frantz said, adding that there are “100-mile-an-hour winds going on through the hills. We sat here tonight, and we just looked outside, and we just watched transformers just blow up over the hills nonstop. … It’s devastating. so many people I know, their houses are probably gone right now. I can’t even imagine.”

Frantz then offered for anyone in need who knows her to reach out to her if they need a roof over their head.

“I just want to put out there to any of my friends, family, or anyone who knows me,” she said. “You need a place to stay, I have room. I will put you up, I will take care of you, I will make you breakfast. Call me. I will be up all night if anyone needs somewhere to be.”

‘The Young and the Restless’ star Melissa Claire Egan lost her new home in the fires

The Young and the Restless star Melissa Claire Egan posted an unfortunate update about the fires affecting her Pacific Palisades home.

“Thank you so much to everyone for reaching out,” she wrote on her Instagram Stories on Jan. 9, 2025. “We are safe. Thank God. All that matters.”

“But we just bought a house in the Palisades two weeks ago that is now destroyed,” she continued. “We hadn’t moved in yet, but it’s gone.”

She added that she’s “grateful” for the safety of her two children, “but we are devastated and this is all so horrific.”

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