PCH shut down in Pacific Palisades, drivers abandon cars as wildfire jumps in size
As the Palisades Fire quickly tore through over a thousand acres Tuesday, the Pacific Coast Highway was shut down in the Malibu area — with authorities telling drivers in the area to get out of their cars to escape the flames.
All lanes of the highway near Topanga Canyon Boulevard were closed as the wildfire jumped in size, quickly spreading to 200 acres within an hour of the Los Angeles Fire Department first reporting it at 10:30 a.m. On Sunset Boulevard, just east of where the main LA roadway meets the PCH, drivers were being told to get out and go on foot as the fire grew closer.
Meanwhile, the fire department later reported about 30 vehicles were left abandoned on Sunset, saying a bulldozer would remove the cars to clear the roadway for first responders.
"The fire came right down to the road and the fire department came up and said get out of your cars now — because the fire was right up against the cars," said Marsha Horowitz, who was driving down Sunset at the time. "There were three lanes of cars, and the fire was right down and there was nothing to stop it."
Several other people were seen getting of their cars and walking toward the ocean. Another driver said she could see flames nearby just as fire officials told her to get out of her car. "The fire was all around us — the trees and everything," she said.
Topanga Canyon Boulevard is closed from 10 a.m. Tuesday through 6 p.m. Friday due to red flag warnings for increased wildfire risks, triggered by powerful Santa Ana winds and other conditions through Southern California this week.
Other road closures were also announced in the neighboring city of Santa Monica, where public officials announced the westbound 10 Freeway at Lincoln Boulevard would be closed as well as the northbound Pacific Coast Highway in the same area.
"Please avoid non-essential travel in northern portions of the city to facilitate evacuations and assist first responders," the city of Santa Monica said in an alert.
Check back for updates to this developing story.
