Fire-ravaged residents in ritzy suburbs across southern California have been warned to brace for another 12 hours of hell as wildfires turn cataclysmic.
Million-dollar mansions in the celebrity enclave of Pacific Palisades were razed last night, with landmark institutions and beloved restaurants leveled as three out-of-control blazes and winds nearing 100mph spread at a rapid rate across Los Angeles.
The night sky blazed red and was blanketed in heavy smoke – while a windstorm the worst Los Angeles has seen in more than a decade whipped up debris and sent fire embers traveling more than a mile ahead of the monstrous inferno itself.
Firefighters battling the Palisades blaze, which is burning through about five football fields a minute, warned they were running out of water and supplies, as evacuation warnings spread to Malibu and Calabasas.
Tankers full of water had been dousing the inferno from the skies all afternoon, but all aircraft were later grounded amid deteriorating wind conditions and visibility.
Residents were warned the worst is still yet to come as the raging wildfire burns through some 3,000 acres of Los Angeles land at an extraordinary rate. Firefighters have warned that ‘tornado-like’ winds are making their work harder.
At least 30,000 residents are now under mandatory evacuation orders with more still warned they should be prepared to leave after a fire that broke out in the foothills near Eaton Canyon grew to 1,000 acres in just six hours since it began.
A third brush fire has broken out in Sylmar in the San Fernando Valley which recent estimates claim is around 100 acres in size and growing.
There have been few reports of injuries, but the Los Angeles Times reported multiple burn victims were treated in Malibu after being caught in the blaze last night.
As of early Wednesday, nearly 167,000 people were without power in Los Angeles county, according to the tracking website PowerOutage.us. It comes as:
- Spencer Pratt and his wife Heidi Montag tragically lost their home in the fires;
- Ben Affleck looked shocked as he returned home to see the advancing blaze;
- A local said he made the potentially life-saving decision to get out of the city;
- An interactive map showed where the blaze is heading next in California.
Firefighters watch the flames from the Palisades Fire burning a home during a powerful windstorm on January 8, 2025
The night sky blazed red and was blanketed in heavy smoke – while a windstorm the worst Los Angeles has seen in more than a decade whipped up debris and sent fire embers traveling more than a mile ahead of the monstrous inferno itself
Firefighters battling a mammoth blaze in California ‘s ritzy Pacific Palisades have warned they’re running out of water and supplies, as emergency evacuation warnings spread as far as Malibu and Calabasas
Residents are warned that embers can travel a significant distance ahead of the main blaze, creating smaller fires in their path
Nursing homes in fire-ravaged areas were evacuated
All aircraft has now been grounded as conditions deteriorate
Million-dollar mansions in the celebrity enclave of Pacific Palisades have been razed and landmark institutions and beloved restaurants leveled as three out-of-control blazes spread at a rapid rate
Pacific Palisades, where houses have already been reduced to rubble, is a celebrity enclave home to Chris Pratt, Reese Witherspoon and Miles Teller among other Hollywood A-listers. Even more celebrities call Calabasas and Pasadena home, including the Kardashians.
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The raging fire is predicted to continue to burn uncontained for at least the next 12 hours, according to Malibu City Council member Bruce Silverstein.
Silverstein gave the grim update in an urgent message to locals and celebrities alike: 'The Palisades Fire is a monster.
'It is burning out of control, and the Santa Ana winds are spreading the fire and embers very fast,' he wrote, according to the NY Times.
'We are having new fires pop up as we speak,' David Acuna, a battalion chief and Public Information Officer at Cal Fire told CNN.
Pacific Palisades resident Cindy Festa said that as she evacuated, fires were 'this close to the cars,' demonstrating with her thumb and forefinger.
'People left their cars on Palisades Drive. Burning up the hillside. The palm trees - everything is going,' Festa said from her car.
A fire official told local television station KTLA that several people were injured in the Palisades Fire, some with burns to faces and hands. One female firefighter had suffered a a head injury.
With aircraft grounded for the night amid deteriorating 60mph wind conditions and visibility, and a lack of water to contain the blazes, authorities are concerned the hellish devastation plaguing LA still has not peaked.
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Mandatory evacuation zones have multiplied and now are scattered across the coast from Malibu to Santa Monica, and inland toward Calabasas and Pasadena.
The Hurst Fire was estimated at 300 acres with a 'rapid rate of spread' and mandatory evacuations this morning. Governor Gavin Newsom announced early today that the state had secured federal funding to help with the fire.
The Palisades blaze began around 10am Tuesday, shortly after the start of a Santa Ana windstorm that the National Weather service warned could be 'life threatening' and the strongest to hit Southern California in more than a decade.
The Eaton fire in Altadena started near a nature preserve. The flames spread so rapidly that staff at a senior care center had to push dozens of residents in wheelchairs and hospital beds down the street to a parking lot where they waited in their bedclothes for ambulances and other vehicles to take them to safety.
A third wildfire started around 10.30pm and quickly prompted evacuations in Sylmar, a San Fernando Valley community that is the northernmost neighborhood in Los Angeles. The causes of all three fires are under investigation.
Hellish photos from the inferno's epicenter show once-decadent million-dollar homes completely obliterated by the wildfire. A spiral staircase and opulent art gallery wall were seen burned to cinders
A firefighter tries to cover his face from the thick smoke as he battles the inferno
A helicopter drops water around homes threatened by the wind-driven Palisades Fire
Firefighters battling a mammoth blaze in California 's ritzy Pacific Palisades have warned they're running out of water and supplies, as emergency evacuation warnings spread as far as Malibu and Calabasas
At least 30,000 residents are now under mandatory evacuation orders
Tankers full of water have been dousing the inferno from the skies all afternoon, but all aircraft have now been grounded amid deteriorating wind conditions and visibility
President Joe Biden revealed late on Tuesday night he'd been briefed on the fires and was in touch with both state and local officials.
'I have offered any federal assistance that is needed to help suppress the terrible Pacific Palisades fire,' he wrote on X.
'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.
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'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.'
Vice President Kamala Harris' Los Angeles home fell into the evacuation zone late on Tuesday.
Harris is currently in Washington and issued a statement thanking the 'heroic' first responders who are risking their lives to save homes.
'As a proud daughter of California, I know the damage that wildfires have on our neighbors and communities. I also know that the impact is often felt long after the fire is contained,' she said.
And the human toll of the carnage is only now starting to become apparent, with multiple burns victims reported at Duke's Restaurant in Malibu after a fire tore through the region.
A 25-year-old female firefighter also received treatment at the scene and was taken to hospital after suffering a serious head injury on duty.
Residents at the Pasadena Park Healthcare & Wellness Center were being evacuated today as the Eaton Fire grew nearby, KNBC reported.
Velma Wright, 102, was evacuated from a care facility as embers and flames approached in Pasadena, an AFP photographer saw.
A Jewish house of worship in Pasadena overnight, KABC reported. The Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center was still on fire early this morning.
The Pacific Palisades inferno has been burning for more than 12 hours now and has showed no signs of letting up, tearing through more than 2,900 acres of Los Angeles land at an extraordinary rate.
In fact, a windstorm is set to bring the worst conditions in a decade to the area, further fanning the flames and magnifying the risk.
The night sky is blazing red and blanketed in heavy smoke, as a windstorm the worst Los Angeles has seen in more than a decade whips up debris and sends fire embers traveling
Smoke and flames rise from structures as the Eaton Fire burns in Pasadena
Smoke and flames from the Palisades Fire fill the Santa Monica skyline as seen from Santa Monica Beach
A charred car remains after fire tore through
Tankers full of water have been dousing the inferno from the skies all afternoon, but all aircraft have now been grounded amid deteriorating wind conditions and visibility
Meanwhile a new fire has since broken out near Pasadena and Altadena in Eaton Canyon, diverting resources and forcing first responders to fight the fire on two fronts.
The fast-moving brush fire has already spread more than 400 acres and authorities are particularly concerned for 550 homes nearby which are difficult to reach.
Late into the evening, new reports revealed that a third, belligerent wildfire started burning in Sun Valley.
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The Reel Inn, an iconic 36-year-old seafood restaurant on the Pacific Coast Highway, was razed when the fire reached Malibu.
Owners Teddy and Andy Leonard shared a heartbreaking update to Instagram on Tuesday, revealing they were 'heartbroken and unsure of what will be left.'
'Hopefully the state parks will let us rebuild when the dust settles,' they added. 'All staff are safe.'
Throughout the night, the scanner picked up repeated requests for additional resources and warnings of rescue teams 'running thin' on supplies, particularly water.
The celebrity enclave of Pacific Palisades has been largely reduced to rubble, while hotspot Calabasas, home to the Kardashians, is on high alert.
Actor Chris Pratt, who lives in Pacific Palisades with his wife and children, asked for prayers as Los Angeles continues to burn.
'Please send prayers and strength tonight to everyone in Los Angeles affected by these devastating fires,' he wrote.
'Thank you to the brave firefighters and first responders who are working tirelessly to protect lives, homes, and wildlife as they battle fast-moving wildfire fueled by fierce winds.'
'You are true heroes, and we are endlessly grateful for your sacrifice and courage.'
Los Angeles County firefighters take up positions to battle the Palisades wildfire in Pacific Palisades
Flames from the Palisades Fire burn homes on January 7, 2025 in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, California
Spencer Pratt is seen watching the wildfire as it approaches his family home in Palisades
Ben Affleck, 52, returned home to his Pacific Palisades house last night to see the wildfire nearby was within sight
Flames from the Palisades Fire burn a business on January 7, 2025
The Reel Inn, an iconic 36-year-old seafood restaurant on the Pacific Coast Highway, was razed when the fire reached Malibu
Hellish photos from the inferno's epicenter show once-decadent million-dollar homes completely obliterated by the wildfire. A spiral staircase and opulent art gallery wall were seen burned to cinders.
Las Lomas Avenue in the Palisades was reportedly caught in the direct line of fire, and witnesses say 'dozens' of homes on that street alone 'are gone.'
Residents have shared horror stories about their daring escapes, with three-hour gridlocks on the road out and mad dashes to rescue animals and designer goods.
As brave firefighters battle the inferno on three fronts, the Los Angeles Fire Department has issued an urgent call out for any off-duty officers to help out.
According to scanners in the area, those on the ground battling the intense blaze are starting to experience shortages in their supplies, particularly water.
Los Angeles City Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson declared a state of emergency on Tuesday night - while warning that the worst of the windstorm is 'yet to come.' Gov. Gavin Newsom also declared a state-wide emergency.
Evacuation orders have also now been extended to parts of Santa Monica.
With panicked residents fleeing on foot, the city enlisted bulldozers to rid the streets of the deserted, flashy cars and clear a path for first responders to access the hills, where the fire is raging.
Long-time Palisades resident Will Adams said he immediately went to pick his two kids up from St. Matthews Parish School when he heard the fire was nearby. Meanwhile, he said embers flew into his wife's car as she tried to evacuate.
'She vacated her car and left it running,' Adams said. She and many other residents walked down toward the ocean until it was safe.
Adams said he had never witnessed anything like this in the 56 years he's lived there. He watched as the sky turned brown and then black as homes started burning. He could hear loud popping and bangs 'like small explosions,' which he said he believes were the transformers exploding.
'It is crazy, it's everywhere, in all the nooks and crannies of the Palisades. One home's safe, the other one's up in flames,' Adams said.
Teslas, BMWs, Porches, and Mercedes were all filmed being dozed out of the way on Tuesday afternoon - as terrified millionaire locals said that the natural disaster felt like an all-encompassing 'tornado of fire.'
A firefighter battles the Palisades Fire as it burns during a windstorm on the west side of Los Angeles, California
Hellish photos from the inferno's epicenter show once-decadent million-dollar homes completely obliterated by the wildfire. A spiral staircase and opulent art gallery wall were seen burned to cinders
A firefighter tries to cover his face from the thick smoke as he battles the inferno
Distressing video showed the blaze creeping up the side of a mountain where the iconic museum sits - as eerie black smoke filled the air surrounding its pristine white facade
With panicked residents fleeing on foot, the city has enlisted bulldozers to rid the streets of the deserted cars and clear a path for first responders to access the hills, where the fire is raging
A helicopter drops water around homes threatened by the wind-driven Palisades Fire
Firefighters battle the Palisades Fire as it burns a residence on the west side of Los Angeles
A firefighter battles the Palisades Fire as it burns during a windstorm on the west side of Los Angeles
Velma Wright, age 102, is evacuated from a care facility as embers and flames approach during the Eaton fire in Pasadena, California on January 7, 2025
A home is completely engulfed in flames amid the roaring inferno
A playground burns in a residential neighborhood during the Eaton fire in Pasadena, California on January 7, 2025
Amid the hellish backdrop of the apocalyptic inferno, evacuation notices were placed along the affluent coastal region, with a chilling warning which read: 'Immediate threat to life.
'This is a lawful order to LEAVE NOW. The area is lawfully closed to public access.'
Firefighter David Ortiz reiterated the urgent warning: 'Do not stand in the way of this fire. This is pretty much the worst possible scenario for a firefight.'
Horrific images coming out of the coveted zip code showed millionaire homes completely burned out - with structures crumbling to the ground while being engulfed in flames.
Brave firefighters attempted to breach the blaze which jumped from home to home.
The windstorm poses a massive problem, making the inferno life-threatening - while being the most damaging since 2011. LA officials have said that the wildstorm is only set to get worse as we head into Wednesday.
Los Angeles County Fire Chief Marrone also had a stern warning for residents on Tuesday night, telling them: 'we are not out of danger.'
'The National Weather Service has predicted that the winds are going to pick up and get worse,' Marrone said.
'We're going to have the most significant wind event between 10 p.m. [PST] this evening and 5 a.m. tomorrow morning.'
The National Weather Service has warned residents to expect more carnage tonight with wind gusts reaching 50 mph.
A firefighter battles the advancing Palisades Fire as it burns a structure
The evacuation orders have sparked chaos on the roads, with a traffic gridlock only worsened by panicked residents choosing to abandon their cars and flee on foot
A person wearing a face mask flees as a wildfire breaks-out near Pacific Palisades
A firefighter makes a stand from the balcony of a home in front of the advancing Palisades Fire
Two people flee from the advancing inferno
The 200-acre bush fire was first reported around 10:30am on Tuesday and authorities have described the flames as a blowtorch
A Los Angeles County firefighter in front of a burning house while battling the Palisades wildfire
Emmy Award winning actor James Woods, 77, was among high-profile residents forced to flee on Tuesday.
He shared a video of the blaze near his home as he prepared to evacuate.
'Standing in my driveway ready to evacuate. We've got a lot of planes going over dropping water,' he said. 'S**t.'
In the video, it appeared as though a house further up on the hills had already been engulfed in flames.
'We were blessed to have LA fire and police depts doing their jobs so well,' he later said.
'We are safe and out. There are several elementary schools in our neighborhood and there was an enormous community effort to evacuate the children safely. Can not speak more highly of the LA fire and LAPD.'
Jonathan Vigliotti posted a video of a car burning uncontrollably in a driveway on X on Tuesday afternoon.
'Come on, guys!' he called, his voice filled with fear. 'We got to go!'
'We were in a neighborhood as it went up in flames. Mass panic in the streets, and the worst of the wind will hit the Palisades Fire tonight,' he wrote on X.
The 2,900-acre bush fire was first reported around 10:30am on Tuesday and authorities have described the flames as a blowtorch.
Initially, it was said to be 200 acres, but jumped to 300 and then up to 770 within 30 minutes.
Now, it is encompassing 2,900 acres and destroying over 'three football fields' of land every sixty seconds.
Evacuation notices are in place along the affluent coastal region, with a chilling warning from authorities which read: 'Immediate threat to life. This is a lawful order to LEAVE NOW. The area is lawfully closed to public access'
A resident attempts to protect his property from the flames
A woman carries a dog as she evacuates a neighborhood being threatened by the Palisades wildfire
Authorities has issued an 'immediate' evacuation order for Pacific Palisades, urging residents to 'LEAVE NOW.' 'Do not stand in the way of this fire,' Firefighter David Ortiz said
A person uses clothing to partially cover their face, as a wildfire breaks-out near Pacific Palisades
Residents in one of California's ritziest neighborhoods have been warned their lives are at immediate risk as a wildfire rapidly rips through Los Angeles
A woman cries as the Palisades Fire advances and she gets in her car