Los Angeles-Area Neighborhood Goes Up In Flames As ‘Wind-Driven’ Blaze Rages

 Thousands of residents have been told to evacuate as a wildfire fueled by a powerful windstorm raged in a Los Angeles-area neighborhood in Southern California on Monday.

KTLA reported that all of Pacific Palisades was under an evacuation order due to the “wind-driven” blaze that had burned through hundreds of acres by the afternoon.

Evacuees were urged to travel south toward the Pacific Coast Highway using Palisades Drive and Sunset Boulevard, the local television station said in a news article.

“Listen to local authorities, if told to leave, Don’t Wait, Evacuate,” the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services announced in a post to X on Tuesday.

In a post to X, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection urged people to be prepared to move and report suspicious activity to help prevent arson.

Los Angeles Magazine said more than 100 firefighters and been deployed to fight the blaze, but as shown in videos posted to social media, homes were being engulfed in flames.

Actor James Woods shared clips from his home in the area. In one video, he spoke about evacuating as planes dropped water. “S***!” he said, as flames could be seen erupting.

Forecasters warned on Monday that a “life-threatening” and destructive” windstorm could stir up fast-moving wildfires due to dry conditions in Ventura and Los Angeles Counties.

 

“Extremely Critical fire-weather conditions” are expected through Wednesday, the National Weather Service (NWS) said, and the outlook predicted Santa Ana winds would intensify.

Santa Ana winds are “[h]igh-speed and dangerous winds that periodically kick up and blow from the mountains to the coast in Southern California,” according to AccuWeather.

The Los Angeles office for NWS previously said gusts of 50 to 80 miles per hour (mph) were possible, and isolated gusts of 80 to 100 mph across the mountains and foothills.

President Joe Biden had been scheduled to visit nearby Coachella Valley to announce the creation of two national monuments in California, but had to change plans.

“Due to weather issues, the President will not travel to Thermal, CA. The previously scheduled remarks will be delivered in Los Angeles, CA,” the White House reportedly said.