A timelapse video shows smoke billowing from a California brush fire that spread across 40 acres at an alarming rate on Monday.
The footage gives an aerial view of the Pacific Palisades community where the fire is only 10 per cent contained.
Firefighters worked through the night and into early Tuesday to tackle the wildfire in the area. Initially, the fire caused a mandatory evacuation that was ordered for about 200 homes in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood.
Around 8pm on Monday, the Los Angeles Fire Department said all evacuation orders had been lifted from the Palisades fire, and residents could return home.
The fire department says the flames threatened 628 homes, but none were seriously damaged or destroyed.
A timelapse video shows smoke (pictured) billowing from a California brush fire that spread across 40 acres at an alarming rate on Monday
Firefighters are now working to complete containment lines around the remnants of the Palisades fire and the San Bernardino blaze before the expected arrival of gusty winds.
Both fires erupted near homes as dry, hot air gripped the region Monday. Authorities in the inland city of San Bernardino say the 17-acre fire heavily damaged three homes, and six others had minor to moderate damage.
A family of two adults and two children was treated for smoke inhalation and minor burns, and two firefighters were treated for injuries and released from hospitals.
Firefighters are patrolling for hotspots that could flare with the arrival of winds Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) says it’s considering shutting off power this week to about a half million people in Northern California to try and prevent wildfires.
PG&E said shutoffs in the northern part of the state could potentially begin Wednesday and affect some 200,000 customers in 16 counties mostly in Sierra foothills and to the north of the San Francisco Bay Area.
The footage gives an aerial view of the Pacific Palisades community where the fire is only 10 per cent contained. Firefighters (pictured on Monday) worked through the night and into early Tuesday to tackle the wildfire in the area. Initially, the fire caused a mandatory evacuation that was ordered for about 200 homes in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood
A firefighter gets caught off-guard by a flare up of the Palisades Fire in the Highlands neighborhood in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles, on Monday
The fire department says the flames threatened 628 homes, but none were seriously damaged or destroyed
Firefighters (pictured Monday) worked through the night into early Tuesday to tackle a pair of wildfires threatening hundreds of homes in California as the possibility of another planned blackout in the Golden State looms over a half million residents
A firefighting aircraft drops the fire retardant Phos-Chek while battling a wildfire that threatened a nearby hillside home in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood
Initially, an evacuation of the Palisades area was ordered by the fire department, affecting at least 200 homes. However, at around 8pm, Monday evening, the department said all evacuation orders had been lifted from the fire, and residents could return home
Winds in some areas could top 60mph, according to forecasters. Any blackouts would last at least 48 hours, the utility said.
A huge portion of California is under high fire risk amid unpredictable gusts and soaring temperatures.
PG&E’s announcement came about 10 days after more than two million people had their lights turned off by the utility when powerful winds whipped up.
‘The sole intent is to prevent a catastrophic wildfire caused by a spark from electrical equipment,’ PG&E CEO Bill Johnson said at a Monday press conference.
‘In high winds, electrical equipment is more susceptible to damage … and with high winds and dry conditions and plenty of dead and dying grass and trees, our communities are at much higher risk from rapid fire spread. So that’s what we want to avoid, and we’re serious about that.’
Meanwhile, Pacific Gas & Electric (file image) says it’s considering shutting off power this week to about a half million people in Northern California to try and prevent wildfires
A huge portion of California is under high fire risk amid unpredictable gusts and soaring temperatures
Several Fire Department helicopters were fighting the Palisades blaze from the air with water drops
An hour into the firefight, the blaze grew in excess of 30 acres and was threatening homes along Vista Grande Drive and Charmel Lane, some of which are valued in excess of $4,000,000
In San Bernardino County’s Little Mountain area, the 20-acre brush fire broke out on Monday evening and destroyed three homes, damaged six more and threatened others, fire officials said. The cause of the fire is not known.
Some residents in both communities tried to protect their property with garden hoses by spraying water on roofs.
San Bernardino County Fire Battalion Chief Mike McClintock warned residents against trying to fight the fire themselves.
‘The biggest thing for us is if we ask people to evacuate, we want them to evacuate,’ he said. ‘A garden hose isn’t going to stop a rapidly spreading fire.’
April Love Geary, who lives in the Pacific Palisades area, shared photos of the 40-acre blaze that broke out around 10.40am Monday morning.
Geary, who lost the home she shared with boyfriend Robin Thicke to a fire last fall, posted a photo of smoke blanketing the skyline, with the caption: ‘Another fire.’
Firetrucks were seen parked on a palm-tree lined street in the Pacific Palisades on Monday
A Los Angeles County Fire Department firefighter looks up toward the Palisades Fire as it advances downhill
Officials responded to a 911 call about a brush fire around 500 North Palisades drive, which quickly burned an acre.
An hour into the firefight, the blaze grew in excess of 30 acres and was threatening homes along Vista Grande Drive and Charmel Lane, some of which are valued in excess of $4million.
Residents could be seen in aerial footage fleeing as the fire advanced on the affluent coastal community as some stood near the edge of the hillside and attempted to hold back flames with garden hoses.
Goodfellas’ star Ray Liotta was seen speaking with firefighters Monday who briefed the actor on the blaze.
Newlyweds Chris Pratt and Katherine Schwarzenegger’s under-construction mansion in Palisades Highs was the only celebrity home close to the blaze but the area is home to A-listers including Ben Affleck and Kobe Bryant. Pratt and Schwarzenegger’s home was not damaged by the fire.
Sofia Richie uploaded a picture of a smoke column to her Instagram story, showing the grey smog billowing over a hillside with the caption: ‘Oh no!’
Actress and singer Cassie Ventura also snapped a picture of the smoke blanketing the sky above the Palisades shoreline.
Ventura’s husband, Alex Fine, also posted about the blaze on his Instagram story, writing in the caption: ‘California stays on fire.’
The blazes came about two weeks after a major wind-driven wildfire scorched nearly 8,000 acres along the northern edge of Los Angeles, damaging or destroying dozens of structures and prompting evacuations of some 23,000 homes.
The Palisades fire burned across steep hillside terrain as fire crews waited to confront it when it reached roadways
Stars April Love Geary, who lost the home she shared with boyfriend Robin Thicke to a fire last fall, posted a photo of her backyard with the caption: ‘Another fire’ (left). Goodfellas’ star Ray Liotta (right) looks in shock as firefighters briefed the actor on the status of the fire in Pacific Palisades on Monday