‘It doesn’t seem real’: Bill Hader’s first reaction to seeing his house still standing, nearly intact, amid Palisades fire devastation

After days of devastating fire, some California residents are finally returning home — even as firefighters are still struggling to quench several neighborhoods. SNL alumni and comedic actor Bill Hader is one of the lucky few to have a home to return to, though his return felt less than triumphant amid the sea of destruction.

“The thing people keep saying is ‘unreal.’ And it does; it doesn’t seem real,” Hader said in an on-the-scene interview. It’s hard to see your life in shambles, and even if his $4.2 million dollar home was mostly intact, the neighborhood surrounding it was hit hard. Apologizing for his scattered thoughts, Hader stumbled through his shock, trying to put words to the feeling of loss. “It’s just gone. Everything.”

Hader lives near the alphabet streets, which the actor considers “the heart of Palisades.”This beautiful, beautiful area is just gone,” he says in shock. “The whole thing is just gone.”

Hader was away for a shoot when the fire broke out, but his home security camera caught everything. He rushed back, “But by the time I got back, it was gridlocked [traffic],” he told KTLA, a local station that was on the ground when he returned home.

Hader’s family was able to evacuate without problem while he was away, and the actor encourages everyone to “just leave” if they get the evacuation notice.

“I do know people who were like, ‘Well, wait and see,’ and things like, ‘I’m in the yellow zone’ or whatever. This thing, once it went red, you couldn’t get out.” Hader is right: when the time comes, roads can be gridlocked, preventing those impacted from driving to safety. Palisades firefighting crews had to bring in bulldozers to clear roads of abandoned cars left by those who fled from danger too late.

Several TikTok videos circulated showing residents trapped inside their homes, unable to leave as the flames quickly engulfed their multimillion-dollar homes.

“Don’t listen to your friends who are like, ‘Ah, you’re being a little freaked out,” he advised. “Just get out.” The comment smacks of personal experiences. Hader has been incredibly candid about his battles with anxiety over the years. Even as he was bringing audiences to tears during his lengthy SNL tenure, the actor was constantly fighting his nerves. He revealed that even showrunner Lorne Michaels knew, once coming to Hader before a show to tell him, ‘Calm the F— down. Just have fun. Jesus Christ.”

The California fires came on so quickly that even the most enthusiastic doomsday preppers would have struggled to grab their bags and go. “It’s just so mind-boggling how fast it happens. I just hope that everyone is safe,” a dazed Hader told reporters.

Even now, the blaze is less than 25% contained. Officials estimate that some 12,000 buildings have been destroyed and at least 25 people are dead. As residents trickle back into communities, local officials remind them that even though the fire was extinguished, dangers still remain. Downed power lines may still carry electricity, structures are compromised due to damages, and chemical leaks from household appliances can impact air quality.