A massive wildfire rages through the exclusive and picturesque Pacific Palisades neighborhood, between Santa Monica and Malibu.
The blaze is fueled by a combination of dried brush due to a dry winter and dangerously strong Santa Ana winds, with gusts reaching up to 60 mph and potentially topping 100 mph in some mountain locations. Already, the Palisades Fire has grown to more than 2,900 acres, is threatening over 13,000 structures, and has forced about 30,000 residents to evacuate.
Wide swaths of Pacific Palisades, Topanga and Malibu were under an evacuation order by the afternoon, as residents fought traffic jams and heavy smoke as they tried to escape the nearby flames. The Palisades fire broke out around 10:30 a.m. near Piedra Morada Drive and was pushed by intense wind gusts that officials had warned could fuel any spark into a fast-moving and erratic wildfire.The fire had blackened more than 2,900 acres by 6:30 p.m as it continued to charge southwest. The grounds of the Getty Villa caught fire, as did the campus of Palisades Charter High School.“It’s bad. It’s like an inferno,” said Lori Libonati, who lives in Pacific Palisades. She saw the fire start to burn Tuesday morning before evacuating.By 3:30 p.m., about 30,000 residents had been evacuated from 10,000 homes, with no injuries reported, said Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell at an afternoon news conference. Firefighters responded to more than half a dozen calls of residents trapped in buildings throughout the day.
State and local officials are already declaring an emergency.
L.A. City Council president Marqueece Harris-Dawson said the city is declaring a state of emergency through the wind event. Newsom also proclaimed a state of emergency in Los Angeles and Ventura counties on Tuesday after meeting with fire officials in Pacific Palisades.
As of right now, several buildings in the area have already been destroyed. Responders are being drawn from agencies around the area, and the fire remains uncontained.
Over 250 LAFD firefighters were battling the blaze, in addition to firefighters from neighboring agencies. Approximately 30 vehicles left abandoned on Sunset and Palisades will be moved by the county to provide clear access, the fire department said.Other fire vehicles being utilized include 46 engines, three trucks, five helicopters, four brush patrols, two water tenders, six paramedic ambulances, one fast response vehicle, one advanced nurse practitioner unit, two bulldozers, 10 chief officers, fire investigators and safety officers, said LAFD Chief Kristin Crowley.No injuries or fatalities have been confirmed, authorities said.
The cause of the fire is under investigation, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
Several noted conservative pundits who live in the area have already been impacted. Actor James Woods has been streaming details obtained through his home’s security cameras.
Peachy Keenan’s home is in the path of the fire.
Joel Pollack has evacuated.
Rantingly.com is monitoring a smaller blaze in the Pasadena area.
A few previous incidents should be noted to place this blaze in the context of California history. The area was also hit hard by a blaze in the 1930’s.
Fortunately, the area recovered from the devastation. Hopefully, the same will be true this time as well.
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