A wind-driven brush fire grew minimally overnight in Pacific Palisades and Malibu, now standing at an estimated 3,000 acres charred after destroying dozens of structures Tuesday, Jan. 7, authorities said.
The Palisades fire is “burning both east and west,” Los Angeles Fire Department Capt. Erik Scott said in a Wednesday morning update. “We’re going to have more winds today and tomorrow. Likely the biggest growth that we are seeing is to the west and our biggest priority is life and structure defense.”
The fire broke out about 10:30 a.m. Tuesday in the area of Pedra Morada and Monte Hermoso drives and quickly caused havoc, swelling quickly due to significant Santa Ana winds and forcing thousands to flee their hillside homes.
A 25-year-old firefighter suffered a serious head injury Tuesday, Scott said. There were multiple burn victims, including some at Duke’s Malibu and Big Rock Beach Cafe around 9 p.m., officials said.
It was not immediately known how many structures had been damaged or destroyed by the flames, but houses were engulfed in flames as air tankers and helicopters made water drops while firefighters from across the region flooded the area.
Some 30 vehicles were ditched along Sunset Boulevard and Palisades Drive by people fleeing the flames. Some were moved by a Los Angeles County bulldozer to provide clear access for firefighters and others, officials said.
Vegetation around both the Getty Villa and LAFD’s Palisades station also erupted, but officials said neither building burned.
Evacuation orders were affecting some 30,000 residents, while more than 10,630 homes in the Pacific Palisades and Malibu areas were threatened by the fire, officials said Tuesday afternoon. It was immediately unclear whether those numbers had changed by Wednesday morning.
Scott, the spokesman, said firefighters on Wednesday were “concentrating on structure defense.”
He said wind gusts up to 100 mph, coupled with surrounding topography, “makes it extremely challenging for us firefighters to really get a handle on (the fire). … There are a ton of power poles and lines that are down in multiple locations and Mandeville Canyon continues to be a significant concern for us today.”
Firefighters will have to contend with another day of strong Santa Ana winds, which are anticipated to continue until at least Wednesday afternoon.
A state of emergency was declared for Los Angeles, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency on Tuesday approved a grant to help with firefighting resources, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced.
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On Tuesday night, Santa Monica declared an evacuation order for all parts of the city north of San Vicente Boulevard.
An evacuation center was set up at the Westwood Recreation Center, 1350 S. Sepulveda Blvd., just east of the 405 Freeway in West Los Angeles, officials said. The site also accepts small animals, fire officials said.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
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