Mandatory Evacuations Ordered for Northern Santa Monica as Palisades Fire Spreads

Authorities have ordered mandatory evacuations for residents living in the northern portions of Santa Monica that border Los Angeles’ Pacific as the devastating Palisades Fire continues to spread.

“Evacuation ORDER: Immediate threat to life. This is an order to LEAVE NOW. The area is closed to public access,” officials said Tuesday. The order applies to all residents living between San Vicente Blvd. and the beachside city’s northern border with Pacific Palisades. A detailed map laying out the affected areas can be viewed here.

Before the evacuation order came down, Santa Monica residents in the affected area could be seen on San Vicente watching the flames, at the time little over a mile away. Among those capturing the event on video was writer-director-actor Albert Brooks. Read more here.

The Palisades Fire was sparked by the strongest Santa Ana winds to ravage southern California in over a decade, bringing extreme dry conditions and turning the region into a tinderbox. The threat is expected to get worse overnight, with meteorologists forecasting 100mph gusts that will only fan blaze, which as of this writing has burned through more than 2,900 acres.

So far, more than 30,000 people have been evacuated, and numerous entertainment industry events scheduled for Tuesday night have been canceled. In addition, President Joe Biden is among those affected by the fire. He was in West Los Angeles on Tuesday morning ahead of a now-canceled event when his team returned to their hotel to hunker down. It isn’t known when they plan to leave.

The fire has threatened many vital local institutions, including the Getty Villa museum and Palisades High School. But though grounds at the Getty were burned, the museum’s antiquities have been reported safe. Palisades High School however was engulfed and according to multiple videos shared on social media, in a dire state.

Fires also broke out elsewhere in the region, one of the most serious erupting in Eaton Canyon, just north of Altadena and east of Pasadena. As of 8:00 p.m., mandatory evacuations were under way in Altadena residential areas close to the fire, including a senior center. And the hillside flames could be seen by Pasadena residents more than 2 miles away. The number of affected people isn’t known.

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