Brush fire burns nearly 3,000 acres in Pacific Palisades, roughly 30,000 people under evacuation orders

Amid devastating winds, a brush fire raced across roughly 3,000 acres of terrain in the Pacific Palisades area today, damaging or destroying an unknown number of homes and forcing thousands of residents to evacuate as the flames marched toward the Pacific Ocean, but no injuries were reported.

The fire was reported around 10:30 a.m. Tuesday in the area of Piedra Morada and Monte Hermoso drives, according to Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman David Ortiz.

The fire continued to grow exponentially throughout the day thanks to heavy fuel loads and powerful Santa Ana winds. By 6:30 p.m., the fire was mapped at 2,921 acres, according to Cal Fire.   

There was no reported containment.   

Air tankers and water-dropping helicopters made drops throughout the day, and firefighters from the across the region rushed to the scene. By Tuesday night, the LAFD was issuing a plea for all of its off-duty firefighters to check in to determine if they could be deployed the fire line.

Mandatory evacuation orders were issued across a wide area generally stretching from Merrimac Road on the northeast, west to Topanga Canyon Boulevard and south to Pacific Coast Highway, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. The orders essentially cover the bulk of Pacific Palisades.

LAFD Chief Kristin Crowley told reporters Tuesday afternoon that roughly 30,000 people were under evacuation orders, with the fire endangering roughly 13,200 structures, including 10,300 homes.

People outside of the evacuation area were asked to shelter in place.    The nearby city of Malibu issued evacuation warnings for an area north of PCH and south of Rambla Pacifico Street, between Carbon Beach Terrace on the west and Las Flores Mesa Drive on the east. Malibu officials noted the fire was spreading rapidly with ``long-range spotting."  

An evacuation center was established at the Westwood RecreationCenter, 1350 S. Sepulveda Blvd., while large animals can be taken to Pierce College at 6201 Winnetka Ave., or the Los Angeles Equestrian Center at 480Riverside Drive in Burbank. Small animals can be taken to the Agoura Animal Care C enter, 29525 Agoura Road, Agoura Hills.   

Evacuees were instructed to travel south on Palisades Drive to westbound Sunset Boulevard then to southbound PCH. However, the evacuation routes quickly filled with vehicles Tuesday afternoon,prompting some people to simply pull over near Palisades and Sunset, exit their cars and walk out of the area on foot.  

LAFD officials said about 30 vehicles were abandoned at the location, and a bulldozer was used to push some of the vehicles out of the intersection to prevent them from blocking traffic in and out of the area.

Eastbound PCH was closed east of the fire area in hopes of clearing the roadway. The westbound Santa Monica (10) Freeway was closed at Lincoln Boulevard in Santa Monica, along with north/westbound PCH to help clear the roadway and assist people trying to evacuate the roadway. The closures effectively blocked all of PCH between the 10 Freeway and Topanga Canyon.   

Sunset Boulevard was also closed west of Mandeville Canyon Road.   

By early evening, the flames had jumped to the south side of PCH, reaching the coastline. The fire also continued spreading both east and west, jumping part of Tuna Canyon Road as it pushed toward Malibu.

Multiple structures could be seen burning in the fire zone, and there were repeated reports of police and fire crews working to rescue people from burning buildings -- but there were no immediate reports of any injuries. On at least two occasions, crews responded to homes where people were in residential swimming pools to escape the flames.   

Video from the scene showed what appeared to be structures burning on the campus of Palisades Charter High School, which was closed for the week. Theatre Palisades on Temescal Canyon Road -- near the high school -- was completely engulfed in flames.

The Getty Villa museum will remain closed until Monday, according to a statement posted on the Getty's website. Katherine E. Fleming, president and CEO of the J. Paul Getty Trust, issued a statement Tuesday evening that the staff and art collection at the Getty Villa in Pacific Palisades ``remain safe,'' although ``some trees and vegetation on site have burned.''   

The Villa, which houses a treasured collection of Greek and Roman antiquities, is normally closed to the public on Tuesdays.   

``Fortunately, Getty had made extensive efforts to clear brush from the surrounding area as part of its fire mitigation efforts throughout the year,'' Fleming said. ``Some trees and vegetation on site have burned, but staff and the collection remain safe. Additional fire prevention measures in place at the Villa include water storage on-site. Irrigation was immediately deployed throughout the grounds Tuesday morning. Museum galleries and library archives were sealed off from smoke by state-of-the-art air handling systems. The double-walled construction of the galleries also provides significant protection for the collections.   

``We are grateful for the tireless work of the Los Angeles Fire Department, Los Angeles County Fire Department, and other agencies to keep the Villa and its staff safe, as well as for the on-site presence of fire trucks throughout the day.''

Early Tuesday afternoon, crews raced to LAFD Fire Station 23 along Sunset Boulevard, which was reported to be burning. There was no immediate update on damage to that structure.

The cause of the fire was unknown.    The fire erupted amid fierce Santa Ana winds that forecasters said
could develop into the worst windstorm in the Southland in a decade. Red flag warnings of critical fire danger were expected to be in place until Thursday evening.

Fire and elected officials warned that the peak gusts of the wind event were anticipated to slam the fire area between 10 p.m. Tuesday and early Wednesday morning, which could dramatically increase the size of the fire overnight.

Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said authorities hope to keep water-dropping aircraft flying throughout the night, but officials will have to monitor wind speeds, which could potentially ground the aircraft for safety.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath said Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger had signed an emergency proclamation in response to the fire, and the city of Los Angeles also issued an emergency declaration. Gov. Gavin Newsom later signed a state of emergency proclamation from the state.   

Newsom, noting that President Joe Biden was in the Los Angeles area when the fire erupted, said Biden had given immediate approval to federal funding to help cover the firefighting effort. Newsom said it only took a text message to Biden to get the funding approved.

The White House issued a statement saying Biden ``has been briefed on the wildfires in Los Angeles and at his direction his team is in contact with state and local officials to offer any federal assistance as needed. In response to the governor's request, FEMA has just approved a Fire Management Assistance Grant to support the impacted community and help reimburse California for firefighting costs.''  

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass took to social media to urge residents to heed evacuation orders.  

``In preparation for high winds, LAFD pre-deployed strike teams in and near areas prone to wildfire,'' she wrote. ``Firefighters are now actively and aggressively responding to the #PalisadesFire with support from regional partners. Angelenos in the area are urged to heed evacuation warnings and follow direction from public safety officials. Due to increasing winds, this is a very dangerous situation. Sign up for @NotifyLA alerts and follow @LAFD for updated information -- stay safe L.A.''

The Los Angeles Police Department went on a citywide tactical alert in response to the fire and dangerous wind conditions. The alert allowed the department to keep officers on duty beyond their normal shifts to respond to emergencies.

Due to the fire and wind conditions, several Los Angeles Unified School District campuses relocated students, and district officials said multiple schools will be closed on Wednesday. Canyon Charter Elementary School, Marquez Charter Elementary School, Palisades Charter Elementary School, and Paul Revere Charter Middle School will all be closed. District officials said they will monitor the fire on Wednesday and potentially shift those campuses to remote learning on Thursday.

Topanga Elementary Charter School students were instructed to again report on Wednesday to Woodland Hills Academy, 20800 Burbank Blvd.   

The South Coast Air Quality Management District issued a smoke advisory due to the fire that will be in place until at least 5 p.m. Wednesday, saying smoke from the blaze could lead to dangerously unhealthy air quality, most notably in Pacific Palisades, Malibu and other northwest coastal areas in the county.  

``It's best to avoid using swamp coolers or whole house fans that bring in outside air,'' AQMD officials said in a statement. ``Residents should also avoid burning wood in their fireplaces or firepits. And, if they absolutely must be outside, a properly fit N95 mask or P100 respirator may provide some protection.''