A wildfire in the Pacific Palisades region has burned more than 5,000 acres and 1,000 structures, forcing thousands of people to evacuate as strong winds pushed the flames south toward Santa Monica.
A mandatory evacuation order was issued for much of Pacific Palisades on Tuesday afternoon, but many residents chose to fight the fires themselves.
“We have a number of serious injuries to residents who did not evacuate,” Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Malone said at a news conference Wednesday morning.
The exact number of injured has not been made public. No deaths were reported.
People living in nearby homes outside the evacuation zone were asked to evacuate in place. Approximately 30,000 people were ordered to evacuate.
Road closures are in place throughout the region, including PCH, the westbound 10 Freeway, the 210 Freeway and portions of the northbound 5 Freeway.
From air filtration to protecting your pets, here’s what you can do to protect yourself if a fire breaks out in your area.
The fire was reported around 10:30 a.m. Tuesday near Piedra Morada and Monte Hermoso streets, Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman David Ortiz said. Due to the large fuel load and strong Santa Ana winds, it continued to grow further during the day.
The cause of the fire is unknown and is currently under investigation.
It was one of four wildfires that broke out in Los Angeles County on Wednesday, and the county is under a red flag until Thursday.
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