Meghan, Harry likely to evacuate Montecito home amid devastating wildfires

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are expected to evacuate their home in Montecito as devastating wildfires continue to sweep large swathes of California.

According to the local media, the British royal couple was likely to leave their palatial mansion in view of power shut down warnings from the electricity companies in the area. 

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have lived in the "high fire risk" property since 2020.

The warnings issued by companies has  raised the prospect of the coupe having to move to safety with their two young children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.

A spokesman for Southern California Edison (SCE) – one of the major power providers in the area – said it was "considering a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) in parts of Santa Barbara County due to a Red Flag Warning and increased risk of wildfires". He confirmed "affected customers" were being contacted in a number of communities, "including Montecito".

The Sussexes' address is in a "High Fire Risk Area", and "power may be shut off during a PSPS to prevent wildfires," the spokesman added. It cames as 30,000 people were told to evacuate their homes in nearby Los Angeles as wildfires, whipped up by strong winds, raged across the wealthy neighbourhood of Pacific Palisades.