Due to “life-threatening and destructive” winds, some residents of Los Angeles’ Pacific Palisades neighborhood have been forced to evacuate due to a rapidly spreading fire.
Erik Scott, a fire captain and public information officer with the Los Angeles Fire Department, said the fire was blazing in the Pacific Palisades Highlands subdivision and had spread to an area of around 200 acres.
Homes were under “immediate threat,” and many areas were forced to evacuate, according to a news release from the Los Angeles Fire Department.
Rustic Canyon and Topanga Canyon are among the several communities scattered throughout the valleys west of Pacific Palisades that are at risk from the fire.
In a video address on X, Scott warned locals in those locations to “be ready for evacuation orders to come through,” stating that the fire is “rapidly spreading due to the significant winds.”
Southern California was prepared for rapidly spreading flames. Forecasters from the National Weather Service had warned of “a life-threatening, destructive windstorm” from Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday early, despite the fact that Los Angeles had not seen much precipitation in months.
Since July 1, downtown Los Angeles has only received.16 inches of rain, according to Rich Thompson, an Oxnard-based National Weather Service meteorologist.
According to Thompson, the agency saw wind gusts of 50 to 80 mph on Tuesday and anticipated that the threat would increase over night.
It appears that later today and overnight, the winds will pick up a little more intensity. Later today and tonight, the windiest areas will see gusts of up to 100 mph,” Thompson added. “The Hollywood Hills, Beverly Hills area, Palos Verdes they get Santa Ana winds, but not usually this strong.”
The Santa Ana winds, which move down mountain slopes to deliver hot, dry air to coastal regions, are frequently responsible for California’s winter wildfires. The winds can quickly push any fires that start, especially in a dry area, and they usually reduce humidity levels.
Note: Every piece of content is rigorously reviewed by our team of experienced writers and editors to ensure its accuracy. Our writers use credible sources and adhere to strict fact-checking protocols to verify all claims and data before publication. If an error is identified, we promptly correct it and strive for transparency in all updates, feel free to reach out to us via email. We appreciate your trust and support!