Freak Los Angeles Wind Storm Sparks Fires in Pacific Palisades
An extreme wind event is threatening two of Los Angeles’ toniest neighborhoods, igniting fires through the Pacific Palisades. Currently tracking at almost 25 miles per hour, winds have been gusting in spurts sparking brush fires that has expanded to 770 acres, per the Los Angeles Fire Department.
Among the residents who call the area home are Jennifer Aniston, Bradley Cooper, Eugene Levy, Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, Reese Witherspoon, Adam Sandler, Michael Keaton, Miles Teller, Michael Mann, Ann Sarnoff, Carol Lombardini, Alan Bergman, Kathleen Kennedy, Steve Guttenberg and James Woods.
Santa Ana winds are nothing new to Southern California, and it’s not uncommon for them to flare up in January, but this “life threatening” and fast-moving wind storm, coupled with low humidity and cooler temperatures, has forced mandatory evacuations for areas surrounding the highly combustible Santa Monica Mountains range.
The National Weather Service said the wind storm constituted a “PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION Red Flag Warning event.” The warnings are in effect until 6 p.m. Thursday for Malibu, the San Gabriel Valley, the San Fernando Valley, Beverly Hills, Hollywood Hills, the Santa Monica Mountains, the San Gabriel Mountains, Eastern Ventura Valley and coastal areas adjacent to the Sepulveda pass.
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The damage and smoke engulfing the Palisades is being described as “apocalyptic,” with one local field reporter noting its resemblance to a movie set.
So far, flights out of LAX have not been grounded. News network helicopters, on standby at nearby Van Nuys airport, are not permitted to fly near the area.
Meanwhile, Amazon MGM Studios and Universal Pictures said Tuesday that they were canceling their respective premiere events scheduled for that night.
Amazon MGM was planning to hold the premiere for its film Unstoppable, starring Jharrel Jerome, Jennifer Lopez, Bobby Cannavale, Michael Peña and Don Cheadle, at the Directors Guild of America building in Los Angeles.
“In light of today’s safety concerns around heightened wind activity and fire outbreaks in Los Angeles, we regret to inform you that we are cancelling tonight’s premiere of Unstoppable,” the company said. “As much as we were looking forward to celebrating this wonderful and inspiring film with you, safety is our first priority.”
Universal had been planning to premiere Wolf Man, starring Julia Garner and Christopher Abbott, at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.
“Tonight’s premiere of Wolf Man is cancelled due to sensitivities around the worsening weather situation in LA and related evacuations,” the company said.
Levy, who is the current honorary mayor of the Pacific Palisades, evacuated the area early Tuesday, according to The Los Angeles Times, which spoke with him while he was stuck in traffic.
“The smoke looked pretty black and intense over Temescal Canyon,” he said. “I couldn’t see any flames, but the smoke was very dark.”
Guttenberg told KTLA that he was assisting with clearing streets to help residents evacuate and to allow firefighters easier access to reach the blaze.
“What’s happening is people take their keys with them as if they’re in a parking lot,” he said. “This is not a parking lot. We really need people to move their cars. If you leave your car behind, leave the key in there so a guy like me can move your car so that these fire trucks can get up there.”
Guttenberg said he was walking up Palisades Drive moving cars.
“There are families up there. There are pets up there,” he said. “There are people who really need help.”
Meanwhile, Woods shared photos and videos on his X account of the flames burning near his house.
“We were blessed to have LA fire and police depts doing their jobs so well,” he wrote in one post. “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.”
Updated Tuesday, Jan. 7, 3:26 p.m.: Added news of the Unstoppable premiere being canceled and Eugene Levy’s quote.
Updated Tuesday, Jan. 7, 3:37 p.m.: Added news of the Wolf Man premiere being canceled.
