Malibu Wildfire: David Geffen Shows Class in Face of Malibu Fire
By Debra Beste
Oct 23, 2007
The Malibu wildfire has now scorched about 4500 acres. The beautiful stretch of coastline in Southern California is home to so many of the rich and famous and in the face of the Malibu fires David Geffen stepped up and did his part. Nikki Finke has done a tremendous job covering much of what is happening on her Deadline Hollywood Daily journal.
Malibu Wildfire: David Geffen Shows Class in Face of Malibu Fire
She has this on Geffen: "More news from Deal Beach, aka Billionaires Beach. David Geffen, whose Malibu Beach Inn recently underwent a major renovation, has opened the landmark hotel to evacuees for free as well as to firefighters who sleep there in shifts during the inferno."
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"Why be empty? I'd rather it go to good use," managing director Alan Goldschneider told Reuters. "They try to throw down money and their credit cards, but we're not charging a soul. They're saving our houses." What a deal, since Geffen shelled out a reported $29 million, or $617,000 for each of the 47 rooms on Pacific Coast Highway. The hotel's website informs that, despite TV and web reports, "the Malibu Beach Inn was never in danger during the recent wildfires in the city and, thus, sustained no damage."
"We appreciate your phone calls of concern. The hotel is currently open but priority is given to firefighters and emergency personnel fighting the Malibu Canyon fires." Meanwhile, I hear David is nervous as hell about whether his own Malibu Cape Cod-style mansion on Carbon Beach will be safe from the flames." More here from Nikki.
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The threat is not over, but it has subsided some what. The Malibu Arts Review reports that the famous Topanga Canyon also caught a break as well. Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACFD) Inspector Sam Padilla at 8:37am today said the fire is now at 15 percent containment and the number of firefighters has been reduced to 898 overall for the fire here. That is the normal way fire crews ordinarily get to handle a fire. But Padilla is still circumspect about getting too optimistic about this shifty fire.
"Currently the fire is headed Southwest towards the water and away from Topanga. Wind is still a factor in this. Yesterday the fire shifted directions five times. One minute it was headed Southeast, then it head North, then it went Northwest then it headed Southwest. Obviously we cannot predict which direction it will head but just be as prepared as possible," Padilla said this morning.
Officials are today more confidently estimating this fire will be fully contained by Friday.
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