Mad Max actor Vernon Wells reveals brave neighbour's valiant attempt to save his home in LA wildfires: 'Everything's gone'

Australian actor Vernon Wells has shared how a neighbour attempted to save his home in the Pacific Palisades from destruction during the California wildfires.

The US-based 79-year-old, who co-starred with Mel Gibson in Mad Max 2 over 40 years ago, said his friend, a firefighter, had heroically stayed behind after most in the neighbourhood had fled the flames.

But the man's efforts to save Vernon's house as well as other neighbouring homes failed as the blaze was just too powerful. 

'He rang us and he was in tears,' a still shaken Vernon said on Friday during an appearance on Sunrise.

He continued: 'And he said, " am so, so sorry to tell you - I tried so hard to save your house and it's gone. Everything's gone".

'He said, "The other five houses, including mine, have gone as well, and that was the start of it."'

Elsewhere in the chat, Vernon related how his friend had stayed behind to wait for fire trucks to arrive to fight the blaze.

While he was standing by for help to arrive the courageous neighbour had resorted to a using a garden hose to wet down homes - including Vernon's -  in order to try and protect them.

'About 150 houses went up. So far, they're saying 10,000 homes in the Pacific Palisades area have been burnt,' a heartbroken Vernon added.

Vernon, who is known to Mad Max fans the world over as the villain Wez in MM2 from 1981 said he and his wife lost 'everything' when their home was destroyed.

'I had all stuff from awards I'd won for acting, photographs from films. I had a big thing from our wedding,' he said.

'We had all this stuff that we'd accumulated over the time we've been together and, suddenly it's not there anymore. Everything, I mean, everything.

'We left with clothes on our back, our dog, our turtle, and a stray butterfly that couldn't fly that my wife was feeding.'

Still, Vernon paid tribute to his community for the way they bonded together to support one another during the deadly fires which has reportedly claimed seven lives.

The actor added: 'Yes, we lost everything. But you know what someone said to me this morning? ''It can all be replaced in your mind.'' You know you've got it in your mind. Everything is there.' 

It comes after Hollywood's biggest celebrities are picking up the pieces after discovering their Los Angeles neighbourhood was reduced to ash and rubble when the fires tore through the Pacific Palisades.

More than 100,000 people have been ordered to evacuate their homes and a further 100,000 put on stand-by, as firefighters battle hellish conditions on the front lines of at least five different fires.

The fires crossed into suburbia, including the affluent Pacific Pallisades neighbourhood, where many celebrity homes were reduced to ash and rubble.

The homes of major stars like Anthony Hopkins, Tina Knowles, John Goodman, Candy Spelling and Miles Teller are among those destroyed, while dozens of other stars now face an anxious wait alongside their neighbours to learn if anything could be saved.

But several stars have been able to keep their properties safe out of sheer chance and the assistance of brave firefighters.

One of the luckiest Hollywood stars is Kate Hudson, who has two homes in the Pacific Palisades neighbourhood.

The two mega properties are side-by-side and are lavish with two stories, generous balconies, lush lawns and swimming pools.

Other stars who have seen their homes saved include Tom Hanks, Rebel Wilson, Tom Brady, Chris Pratt, Dan Aykroyd, Steven Spielberg and Jennifer Love Hewitt.

Apocalyptic fires tore through the ritzy enclave of Pacific Palisades on Tuesday, rapidly spreading to surrounding suburbs as a windstorm carried embers and debris in all directions.

Residents fled and then waited with bated breath to learn more about their homes, as news began trickling out that entire streets had been wiped off the map, firefighters were running out of water, and resources were being diverted to fight the fire on multiple fronts.

Now, the widespread devastation is becoming clearer as celebrities share their devastation upon discovering they've lost their million-dollar mansions.

To make matters worse, the National Weather Service says gusty winds and very dry conditions would continue to fuel fires in the Los Angeles area in the days ahead.