Lionel Richie cancels show to help family evacuate California fires
Firefighters in Southern California are working to contain the blazes.
— -- Lionel Richie has canceled his Las Vegas show this evening due to the wildfires that are currently raging out of control in California.
The singing legend was scheduled to perform at the AXIS at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino as part of his "All the Hits" residency, but instead, he'll be focusing on his family.
Richie, who received the 2017 Kennedy Center Honors earlier in the week, will be back onstage for his scheduled Friday and Saturday night shows.
"Due to the devastating California Wildfires, and helping family evacuate to a safer place, I unfortunately have to cancel my show tonight," he tweeted. "I look forward to returning to the stage this weekend and performing for my fans."
Richie, 68, did not specify which family members he needed to help or which fire was impacting them. However, earlier this morning, firefighters began fighting a 150-acre brush fire that ignited in Los Angeles' Brentwood neighborhood. More than 350 firefighters were on the scene, but the blaze, called the Skirball fire, remained at 0 percent containment this morning.
Southern California firefighters are also battling wildfires in Ventura County, Santa Clarita and in the Kagel Canyon area above the Sylmar neighborhood in Los Angeles.