Thousands flee as fire engulfs California's Pacific Palisades, state of emergency declared

A state of emergency has been declared in California after a large, fast-moving brush fire broke out Tuesday afternoon in Pacific Palisades that prompted highway closures and mandatory evacuations for tens of thousands of people. Many people abandoned their vehicles on the road to flee the fire on foot and head for the beach, forcing county officials to use bulldozers to clear access.

According to the Los Angeles Fire Department, over 13,000 buildings and 26,000 people are in the evacuation zone, which has been labeled "under immediate threat." As of 9:20 pm 3,000 acres had already burned and approximately 30,000 people have been evacuated from a total of 10,000 households, or 15,000 structures, including businesses and other buildings with no injuries or fatalities confirmed so far.

Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell told the media at a press conference that more than 250 LAFD firefighters were battling the blaze, in addition to firefighters from neighboring agencies. A call went out for assistance from off-duty firefighters and anyone with firefighting experience to assist. LAFD Chief Kristin Crowley said 46 engines, 3 trucks, 5 helicopters, 4 brush patrols, 2 water tenders, 6 paramedic ambulances, 2 bulldozers a fast response vehicle, and an advanced nurse practitioner unit, were being utilized to combat the blaze.

Strong winds and nightfall made the conditions on the ground worse as peak winds were expected to occur between 10 pm and 5 am Wednesday.

According to Fox News, the fire began at approximately about 10:30 am near Piedra Morada and Monte Hermoso and burned 20 acres by 2 pm. The fire quickly grew and burned almost 800 acres by 3 pm, destroying some buildings in the Pacific Palisades Highlands.

CAL Fire said in an alert, "This is a lawful order to LEAVE NOW. The area is lawfully closed to public access."

The National Weather Service in Los Angeles warned of a "life-threatening and dangerous windstorm" in the area Tuesday night through Wednesday with red flag warnings expected to be in place until Thursday evening. NWS said, "Stay indoors and away from windows. Expect power outages.”

California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency Tuesday afternoon that enabled additional state resources including the California National Guard if needed, and assistance from the California Office of Emergency Services. 

President Joe Biden posted on X Tuesday night, “I am being frequently briefed on the wildfires in west Los Angeles. 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. 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. I urge the residents of the Pacific Palisades and the surrounding areas of Los Angeles to stay vigilant and listen to local officials.”

One of two campuses of the J. Paul Getty Museum was on high alert from the fire and told Fox News in a statement, "The Getty Villa will remain closed at least through Monday, January 13. We, of course, are very concerned for our neighbors in the Pacific Palisades, Malibu, and the surrounding areas."

Katherine E. Fleming, president and CEO of the J. Paul Getty Trust, told the outlet, "Fortunately, Getty had made extensive efforts to clear brush from the surrounding area as part of its fire mitigation efforts throughout the year," Fleming added. "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."

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass was out of town when the fire broke out, therefore Los Angeles City Council President Marquis Harris Dawson, who is the acting mayor while Bass is away announced, "The city of LA is declaring a state of emergency through this wind event.”

Mandatory evacuation orders were in place from Merrimac Road west to Topanga Canyon Boulevard, and south to Pacific Coast Highway and an evacuation center has been opened at Westwood Recreation Center, located at 1350 South Sepulveda Blvd. in Los Angeles.

SoCal Edison, the electric utility in the area, announced it was shutting off power to the Cuthbert, and Galahad circuits "due to dangerous fire weather,” noting that other circuits may follow. The company said in a statement, "Once safety conditions have improved sufficiently, SCE visually inspects power lines and equipment for damage before restoring power. This typically takes up to eight hours, but could take longer if daylight is needed."