LOS ANGELES — A windstorm that forecasters described as potentially destructive and life-threatening is impacting a large swath of Southern California, dramatically raising the risk of wildfires for the next several days. Firefighters are battling a fire in the foothills of Pacific Palisades, a Los Angeles coastal neighborhood. Another brush fire erupted in the evening in the Eaton Canyon area near Altadena, prompting mandatory evacuations.
At least 30,000 residents are under a mandatory evacuation order in Pacific Palisades.
Firefighters are battling a fire in the foothills of Pacific Palisades, a Los Angeles coastal neighborhood
California Gov. Gavin Newsom said more than 1,400 firefighting personnel and hundreds of “prepositioned assets” have been deployed to battle the “unprecedented fires.”
“Emergency officials, firefighters, and first responders are all hands on deck through the night to do everything possible to protect lives,” Newsom said in a post to X.
The quick-moving fire was reported shortly before 10:30 a.m. in the 1100 block of North Piedra Morada Drive, sending a massive plume of smoke rose above the Santa Monica Mountains.
Heavy smoke from a brush fire in the Pacific Palisades rises over the Pacific Coast Highway in Santa Monica, Calif., on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025.AP Photo/Eugene Garcia
“The Palisades Fire is burning near Palisades Drive,” the Los Angeles Fire Department said in a statement from NotifyLA alert system. “Those nearby should get set for a potential wildfire evacuation by gathering supplies and loved ones.”
“This is a highly dangerous windstorm that’s creating extreme fire risk – and we’re not out of the woods,” California Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement. “We’re already seeing the destructive impacts with this fire in Pacific Palisades that grew rapidly in a matter of minutes.”
Los Angeles County and Angeles National Forest firefighters are also responding to another brush fire nearby burning in the Eaton Canyon area above Altadena. It’s called the Eaton Fire. It has jumped from 10 acres to 400 acres Tuesday night, mandatory evacuations have been issued.
Another brush fire broke out in Sylmar just after 10:30 p.m. near the 210 Freeway. Immediate evacuation orders are in place for North of the 210 Freeway from Roxford to the interstate 5/14 split.
The Los Angeles Fire Department urges residents to “pack all people and pets into (their) vehicle and leave the area immediately”.
A firefighter battles the advancing Palisades Fire around a structure in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Etienne Laurent)AP Photo/Etienne Laurent
The so-called Hurst Fire is burning approximately 100 acres with a rapid rate of speed.
The city of Los Angeles has declared a state of emergency for the wind event, the L.A. City Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson announced during a press conference Tuesday. He added that the most severe part of this windstorm is yet to come, but the city has “all resources on deck”.
“We want everybody to know that the city is well prepared and has a tremendous emergency management infrastructure,” said Harris-Dawson. “If you can stay off of our roads, please do so to allow emergency vehicles to go across the city.”
A massive contingent of Los Angeles city and county firefighting resources were deployed to the scene in Pacific Palisades, including helicopters and Super Scoopers.
In an interview with ABC7, Los Angeles Fire Department Capt. Erik Scott provided an update on a 200-acre wildfire that raced through Pacific Palisades.
Shortly afterward, the LAFD issued a mandatory evacuation order for the an area between Piedra Morada Drive and Pacific Coast Highway, including the Getty Villa the southern end of Topanga Canyon Boulevard. The area immediately to the west was under an evacuation warning.
An evacuation center was established at the Westwood Recreation Center at 1350 South Sepulveda Boulevard.
“People in the area of Palisades need to evacuate now due to a rapidly moving wildfire, the Fire Department said. “Pack all people and pets into your vehicle and leave the area immediately. If you are not in the mandatory evacuation zone, stay off the roads to allow first responders and evacuees to move quickly.”
A brush fire in Pacific Palisades has grown to more than 700 acres and is forcing residents in the area to leave their homes.
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