Palisades Fire devastates LA County, jumps in size as winds batter Southern California

Tens of thousands have fled their homes as a brush fire in the Pacific Palisades has burned more than 17,200 acres as of Wednesday. Fire crews are actively working to contain the flames and stop any forward progress. 

Cal Fire reported that more than 1,000 structures have been destroyed by the fire, but they believe the number is much greater. 

At a news conference Thursday morning, Los Angeles City Mayor Karen Bass referred to the events as an "unprecedented historic firestorm." She said the priority across the region remains people's lives and protecting homes. 

The Los Angeles Fire Department said the Palisades Fire started Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. near 1190 North Piedra Morada Dr. With winds reaching at least 40 mph, the flames quickly spread to about 200 acres and grew exponentially.   

It continued to spread rapidly through the hillsides as gusts carried embers. Bass said the strong winds prevented fire crews from using air operations but have since resumed.   

Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said thousands of residents remain under evacuation orders and added that several more thousands remain under evacuation warnings. The Los Angeles Fire Department reports a significant amount of injuries from residents who did not evacuate. 

Deputies said they found remains on two separate welfare checks.

Watch: Hundreds of Pacific Palisades homes razed by devastating fire

Footage from the scene has shown multiple homes as they were engulfed by the massive flames. Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath said on Wednesday, "We woke up to a dark cloud over all of Los Angeles."

LAFD said they received reports of multiple burn victims. One firefighter sustained a serious head injury while trying to douse the flames. She received treatment at the scene and was taken to a local hospital for evaluation, according to LAFD. 

Kevin McGowan, with the Los Angeles County Office of Emergency Management, said the fires are presenting a "historic natural disaster." His office is working with local, state and federal partners to provide emergency resources to residents in the impacted areas.  

Forecasters said gusts reached up to 100 mph in some parts of the region — likely the worst conditions seen since a windstorm in 2011 left behind $40 million in damage in Los Angeles County.

The Pacific Coast Highway was completely shut down near Topanga Canyon Boulevard, according to the California Department of Transportation.

Emergency shelters and evacuation map

With the flames moving quickly, some drivers abandoned their cars on Sunset near where the main LA roadway meets the PCH. Some said firefighters told them to get out and flee on foot. About 30 vehicles were left abandoned, according to the LA Fire Department.

Meanwhile, thousands of residents escaped their homes as firefighters continued battling the Pacific Palisades blaze.

Krishan Chaudry, a resident in the LA coastal community, said he could see flames burning from his backyard, which he said appeared suddenly. Thick, billowing plumes of black smoke were seen rising over the PCH as flames tore through hillsides.

"This happened just spur of the moment," Chaudry said. "We were just looking at the smoke, and then all of a sudden, we saw fire everywhere."

The Westwood Recreation Center has opened as an evacuation center and overnight shelter for evacuees and small animals, according to fire authorities. The El Camino Real Charter High School has also opened an evacuation shelter for residents, according to Cal Fire.

Evacuation orders and warnings have been issued for the neighborhoods near the Santa Monica Mountains, Topanga State Park and as far south as Santa Monica.  

On Wednesday, Santa Monica city leaders declared a local state of emergency for the area as the fire continued to rage. The declaration looked to enact a sunset to sunrise curfew for evacuation zones, along with a number of other conditions.

The latest information from Cal Fire on evacuations and resources for those affected can be found here.

Roads closures

The following closures of PCH have been announced by authorities while the latest updates can be found here.

• Southbound Pacific Coast Highway is closed at Malibu Canyon
• Southbound Piuma Road is closed at Woodbluff Road
• Southbound Malibu Canyon is closed at Piuma Road
• Southbound Stunt Road is closed at Mulholland Drive
• Southbound Topanga Canyon Road is closed at Mulholland Drive

Closures in Santa Monica:

• Ocean Avenue, 7th Street, and 26th Street have all been shut down to northbound traffic into the Palisades 
• I-10 westbound has been shut down at Lincoln Boulevard. All additional access to northbound Pacific Coast Highway has been closed off
• Pacific Coast Highway is closed between Entrada Drive and Malibu Canyon Road
• Southbound Las Virgenes and Malibu Canyon is closed at Lost Hills Road is closed at Pacific Coast Highway
• Southbound Old Topanga Canyon is closed at Mulholland Drive 
• Eastbound Mulholland Highway is closed at Malibu Canyon
• Pacific Coast Highway is closed at Malibu Canyon for northbound and eastbound traffic
• Malibu Road is closed at Webb Way to eastbound traffic
• Dry Canyon Cold Creek is closed at Mulholland Highway
• Cold Canyon Road at Mulholland Highway is closed to southbound traffic
• Pacific Coast Highway is closed at Leo Carillo to eastbound and westbound traffic

School closures

The Los Angeles Unified School District canceled classes for all of their schools on Thursday.

Classes at the Topanga Elementary Charter School have been relocated to Woodland Hills Academy.

"Affected schools are communicating directly with families. Please visit lausd.org for updates. If families need additional support, please contact our Family Hotline at (213) 443-1300," LA City officials wrote in a statement. 

All schools in the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District remain closed on Thursday. 

Pepperdine University announced that campus operations would be modified on Thursday as university officials were continuing to monitor the blaze. The fire is not an immediate threat to the campus community but could pose a safety concern if it grows closer to the school.

RELATED: Eaton Fire closes schools in Pasadena

The Glendale Unified School District has been closed since Wednesday and will continue to be closed until Friday. 

"Due to the high winds and fires impacting our region, all GUSD schools, child care operations, and district offices will be closed the remainder of the week (January 8, 9 and 10)," the district wrote.

"Life-threatening" windstorm and a major red flag warning

Many parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties, including the area where the wildfire started, are facing a "Particularly Dangerous Situation" red flag warning this week. It's a relatively rare advisory the National Weather Service issues in more extreme cases, and it's the same warning that was issued just before the Mountain Fire tore through nearly 20,000 acres in neighboring Ventura County last year.

Forecasters have warned of a "life-threatening" windstorm that is likely the most powerful one to hit the region since 2011, which led to 400,000 people losing power.

Although the strongest Santa Ana winds have passed, there is another wind evening that will begin Thursday night into Friday. The National Weather Service has extended the red flag warning into Friday evening. 

"This will likely be a life-threatening, destructive, and widespread windstorm," the NWS said Monday, ahead of the weather event. They deemed it a "Particularly Dangerous Situation." 

In December, the coastal community faced the Franklin Fire, which destroyed more than two dozen structures, including a number of homes, as it burned through over 4,000 acres.

Resources stretched thin

Firefighting resources were already being stretched thin with the massive response to the Palisades Fire, which prompted the Los Angeles Fire Department to request all of their off-duty firefighters contact them and report if they're available to assist with the firefight.

LAFD Public Information Officer Margaret Stewart said this is the first time the department has had to make such a request in the last 19 years. 

With the powerful winds still battering the region, all firefighting aircraft were ordered to be grounded on Tuesday evening due to the dangerous conditions. Los Angeles City Fire Chief Kristin Crowley gave an update Wednesday morning, that water-dropping aircrafts would resume operations. Typically water-dropping aircraft are key in assisting ground units while working to battle wildfires. 

In response, firefighting crews from across the western United States were deployed to help local departments. Those locations included Northern California, Arizona, Utah, Washington, Oregon, New Mexico and Nevada. 

Newsom also announced the mobilization of 140 water tenders that could carry 2,500 gallons each to help with the Eaton and Palisades fires.

"California is mobilizing additional water tenders to support the ongoing battle against these unprecedented Los Angeles fires," he said. "We're working closely with our local and federal partners to identify and fill gaps in real-time. Our number one priority is protecting Californians — this additional water transport is critical in our fight."  

Government officials react

In response to the blaze, California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a State of Emergency in regards to the response from local emergency departments. 

The emergency declaration will allow "local, state, and tribal agencies responding to the fire to apply for 75 percent reimbursement of their eligible fire suppression costs," said a statement from the governor's office. 

President Biden, who was also briefed on the incident, shared a statement as well, noting that FEMA had already approved a Fire Management Assistance Grant. 

"My team and I are in touch with state and local officials, and I have offered any federal assistance that is needed to help suppress the terrible Pacific Palisades fire," said the president's statement, in part. "Earlier tonight, FEMA approved a Fire Management Assistance Grant to support areas that are impacted and help reimburse the state of California for the immediate firefighting costs. My Administration will do everything it can to support the response."

On Wednesday, Biden approved a Major Disaster Declaration for the region that will include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans and programs to help individuals and business owners recover. 

Vice President Kamala Harris, a California native, also shared a statement on the Palisades Fire and Eaton Fire, which is burning near Pasadena.

"As a proud daughter of California, I know the damage that wildfires have on our neighbors and communities. I also know that the impact is often felt long after the fire is contained," her statement read, in part. "As we respond and as Californians recover, I will ensure that our administration is in constant contact with state and local officials."

Other fires also burning in LA County

About 40 miles inland, a large brush fire, known as the Eaton Fire, erupted Tuesday in the Eaton Canyon area above Altadena. The blaze grew to 10,600 acres by Thursday morning, threatening some structures in the area and forcing evacuations for people living in Altadena, Pasadena and Sierra Madre. 

At around 10 p.m. on Tuesday, another blaze dubbed the Hurst Fire was reported in the San Fernando Valley. As of Wednesday morning, it was said to be over 850 acres, burning just north of the Olive View-UCLA Medical Center and forcing evacuations for those living in the area. 

Wednesday evening, another brush fire called the Sunset Fire broke out in the Hollywood Hills, in the Runyon Canyon area. This fire similarly led to evacuation orders and warnings in the area near Wattles Park.