Palisades Fire map: Almost 3,000 acres ablaze, thousands ordered to evacuate
A wildfire in California threatens thousands of Los Angeles homes weeks after a different fire caused Malibu residents to evacuate. High wind speeds are expected to make the fire difficult to control.
The Palisades Fire set 2,921 acres ablaze in Los Angeles County, and residents are being forced to evacuate due to an "immediate threat to life," according to Cal Fire.
On Tuesday, at 10:30 a.m. local time, the fire ignited near the Topanga Canyon, around 40 miles northwest of Los Angeles, according to the office of California Governor Gavin Newsom. Later in the day, evacuation orders were issued for the Palisades area.
The cause of the fire is under investigation, according to Cal Fire.
State of emergency
Newsom declared a state of emergency as the National Weather Service forecasts high winds and "extreme fire weather" to threaten much of Southern California until Thursday.
"This is a highly dangerous windstorm that’s creating extreme fire risk – and we’re not out of the woods," Newsom said in a statement. "We’re already seeing the destructive impacts with this fire in Pacific Palisades that grew rapidly in a matter of minutes."
The state secured a Fire Management Assistance Grant, approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA.
"In addition to prepositioning dozens of firefighting engines and personnel in advance of the fire threat, we have secured funding from the federal government to fight this destructive, fast-moving fire," Newsom said.
Thousands of structures threatened
As of Tuesday, 10,000 structures and over 13,000 households are threatened, according to LA Fire Department Chief Kristin M. Crowley.
"By no stretch of the imagination are we out of the woods," Newsom said during a press conference. "I saw firsthand the impact of these swirling winds and the embers and the number of structures that are destroyed. Not a few, many structures already destroyed."
Palisades Fire map
Evacuation orders for Palisades Fire
Evacuation orders were issued for the Palisades area. You can find an interactive map of evacuation orders and warnings related to the Palisades Fire on the Cal Fire website.
LA Fire Department urges Southern Californians to be prepared to evacuate if necessary and report any suspicious activity to help prevent arson.
The below map was current as of 7 a.m. ET.
Evacuation shelters
Anyone evacuating their homes due to the fire can go to the following locations, according to Cal Fire:
Westwood Recreation Center- 1350 S. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles, California, 90025
El Camino Real Charter High School- 5440 Valley Circle Blvd., Woodland Hills, California, 91367
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