Tina Knowles has revealed that her Malibu bungalow was destroyed in the recent wildfires ravaging the Los Angeles area.
Fueled by the region’s worst windstorms in over a decade, the catastrophic fires have left a trail of destruction, claiming thousands of structures and at least five lives in the past three days.
On Thursday, January 9, Ms. Tina transitioned from enjoying her birthday to grieving the loss of what she referred to as her “sanctuary” in California. The businesswoman shared an Instagram story featuring dolphins playing in the Pacific Ocean.
“This is the view I had on my birthday this past weekend from my cozy little bungalow by the water in Malibu!” Tina Knowles, who celebrated her 71st birthday, wrote.
“It was my favorite place, my sanctuary, my sacred Happy Place,” she continued, adding, “Now it is gone!”
Tina Knowles thanked the “brave men and women in our fire department” who battled the blaze and “risked their lives in dangerous conditions.”
“We thank you for your dedication and bravery and for saving so many lives,” she wrote. “This could have been so much worse without the dedication of the disaster workers and first responders.”
She also extended her condolences to the thousands who lost their houses due to the various fires raging in Los Angeles, such as the Eaton fire, the Palisades fire, and the Hurst fire.
Ms. Tina also stated that she was offering prayers for the families of the at least five individuals who died in the fires, as well as for those who have lost all their possessions.
“I am praying diligently for our beautiful City of Los Angeles!” she also wrote, concluding, “We are resilient though, and we will recover! This too shall pass.”
As reported earlier, several wildfires have swept across Los Angeles County, driven by powerful Santa Ana winds and exacerbated by drought-induced dry conditions. These fires have damaged properties and led to extensive power outages in the affected regions.
The exact number of fatalities caused by the fires is still unclear, stated Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna during a press conference on Thursday, January 9. As of Thursday morning, the Palisades fire had consumed 17,234 acres and was 0% contained.
