Dick Van Dyke, a legendary actor set to turn 99 on Dec. 23, faced a terrifying ordeal when his Malibu mansion was hit by the raging wildfires in Southern California. "It was coming from the hill, you could see it," he recounted in an interview on "Today" on Thursday. "And oh my God, and we got out of here." He continued, "I was trying to crawl to the car, I had exhausted myself, I couldn’t get up." The images of the wildfires were truly terrifying, as the wind whipped embers from the trees.

Neighbors' Heroic Act

Thankfully, Van Dyke's neighbors came to his rescue. "Three neighbors came and carried me out and came back and put out a little fire in the guest house and saved me," he said. Their quick thinking and bravery undoubtedly saved his life. This act of kindness showed the true spirit of community in the face of such a disaster.

Evacuating with Beloved Pets

On Tuesday, Van Dyke announced on Facebook that he and his wife, Arlene Silver, had to flee their $8 million hillside home to safety. They managed to evacuate with their other animals, but their beloved cat, Bobo, escaped as they were leaving. "Arlene and I have safely evacuated with our animals except for Bobo escaped as we were leaving," he wrote. The chaos and uncertainty of the situation were palpable.

The Intense Franklin Fire

The intense inferno, referred to as the Franklin Fire, was first reported around 10:45 p.m. Monday as a small brushfire. But it quickly grew and spread, jumping the Pacific Coast Highway and moving all the way to the ocean, prompting mandatory evacuation orders. The fire's path was relentless, leaving destruction in its wake.

Home Standing After the Inferno

The Post obtained exclusive photos of Van Dyke's home still standing after the inferno. It was a sight of relief amidst the chaos. While some of his neighbors' homes fell victim to the fire, his property managed to survive. This was a small glimmer of hope in the midst of a difficult time.

Preparing for a Milestone Birthday

Van Dyke is now preparing to celebrate his milestone 99th birthday on Friday. Despite the recent challenges, he remains in good spirits. In September, there were concerns about his health when he skipped a planned appearance at the 2024 Emmys and a fan convention in Utah. But his recent appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" showed that he is relatively healthy and in good spirits. He even cracked a joke about his age, saying, "I’m old enough to be Joe Biden’s father!" This shows his sense of humor and resilience in the face of adversity.