Wildfire Forces 30,000 to Evacuate in Los Angeles

A wildfire tore through an affluent Los Angeles area on Tuesday, destroying homes and causing traffic congestion as 30,000 people evacuated under massive smoke plumes that blanketed much of the city. 

#PalisadesFire PCH at Big Rock at 7:08 pm pic.twitter.com/jZQbaO2xXt

— 415FirePhoto (@415FirePhoto) January 8, 2025

The strong winds fueled the blaze, which was visible from miles away, forcing many residents to flee on foot after being unable to drive due to road closures. As according to the words of Kristin Crowley, LA Fire Department's fire chief, nearly 26,000 were at risk across over 10,000 households, besides around 13,000 structures.

“It was panic," one local said, describing people crying and screaming as they fled with children and pets. Officials said the winds, expected to peak overnight Tuesday into Wednesday, could reach up to 100 mph (160 kph) in the mountains and foothills, areas that have been dry for months. Around half a million utility customers were at risk of power outages to prevent equipment from sparking more fires.

In the Pacific Palisades, a fire engulfed nearly 2 square miles (5 square kilometers) of land, sending smoke visible across the city. People in Venice Beach, 6 miles (10 kilometers) away, reported seeing the flames. Several fires were burning across the region. Sections of Interstate 10 and the scenic Pacific Coast Highway were closed to facilitate evacuations. Some residents abandoned their cars, waiting to be rescued.

The resident, Kelsey Trainor, said that a single road coming in and going out of the neighborhood was entirely blocked by fire on both sides. "People were getting out of the cars with their dogs and babies and bags, they were crying and screaming. The road was just blocked, like full-on blocked for an hour," she said.

An Associated Press journalist saw one home with a roof and chimney on fire, and another with burning walls. The area, near Malibu, features tightly packed homes along winding streets nestled in the Santa Monica Mountains, stretching to the beaches along the Pacific Ocean.

Long-time resident Will Adams was out when the fires began, and immediately rushed to pick up his two kids from school, now in the path of the fire. His wife, also evacuating, had her car nearly hit by flying embers and ditched it, walking toward safety with other residents.

"This is crazy, it's everywhere," Adams said. "One home's safe, the other one's up in flames." He described watching the sky turn black as homes burned, with loud popping sounds, likely from exploding transformers on electric poles.

Actor James Woods shared a video of flames consuming bushes and palm trees near his home, with the fire racing up a hill. "Standing in my driveway, getting ready to evacuate," Woods said.

Another actor who lives in Pacific Palisades, Steve Guttenberg, asked evacuees to take their car keys with them so that the fire trucks would be able to pass. "This is not a parking lot," he said. "I have friends up there and they can't evacuate. I'm walking up there as far as I can moving cars."

The bad weather condition led President Joe Biden to abandon his scheduled speech in Riverside County where he planned to announce creation of two national monuments. Instead, President Joe Biden would deliver his remarks in Los Angeles.