EUROVISION STAR BAMBIE Thug has described their “wild” experience of getting caught up in the Los Angeles fires.
The death toll in the city has now risen to 10, as the massive wildfires continue to engulf neighborhoods and displace thousands across the city.
The fast-moving Kenneth Fire started in the late afternoon in the San Fernando Valley near the West Hills neighbourhood and close to Ventura County.
Bambie Thug, who placed sixth in last year’s Eurovision Song Contest, told Cork’s 96FM Opinion Line with PJ Coogan that they are lucky to be alive and well.
They were staying in Los Angeles, “just next to the Hollywood Hills”, when the fire broke out.
“I was watching the news but had turned it on mute. I unmuted it and it immediately said ‘Hollywood Hills evacuate now’.”
“I went up to the roof and behind the house we have this restaurant called Yamashiro … there was this big fire next to it.”
They said they were with seven others on the roof when they were given an evacuation notice.
It was wild. I’ve never experienced a natural disaster. Obviously, in Ireland we’re lucky.
They said they tried to order an Uber but the drivers kept cancelling. They said it was a friend with a car who came and picked them up and got them out.
They said they’re safe and well, currently staying in Downtown Los Angeles, “which is concrete, so it’s not going to burn”.
They stay indoors as much as possible to avoid the extremely polluted air caused by the smoke.
Flames fanned by powerful winds have levelled 1,500 structures, many of them multi-million dollar homes, in a rolling tragedy that one forecast said could end up costing over $50 billion and has resulted in the evacuations of over 100,000 California residents.
Speaking about celebrities, such as Paris Hilton and Anthony Hopkins, who have lost their homes to the blaze, Bambie Thug said: “Whatever about them. They have money to rebuild. Other people don’t.”
They said there are still some parts of Los Angeles untouched, and the county’s “community spirit” has shone through. “Everybody’s taking everybody in and everyone’s coming together. It’s lovely to see actually.”
Bambie Thug said they’re not in Los Angeles for work, but rather for a holiday, to rest, see friends and write music.
“I’ve been working non-stop for two years straight and I deserve this break,” they said.
Next month, it will one year since they took part in Eurovision.
Asked if they could go back, would they enter the song contest again, Bambie Thug said: “Not unless there are a lot of changes.”
“There’s Eurovision and there’s the music industry. I want to do my own stuff. It’s a whole year dedicated to one song basically, and I have too many songs.”
They said that the shows they played last year independent of Eurovision were “amazing” and that they’re very grateful to be safe.
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