The Pacific Coast Highway was closed in the Malibu area on Tuesday as the Palisades Fire swiftly spread across 300 acres, and local authorities advised drivers to exit their vehicles in order to avoid the flames.
The Los Angeles Fire Department originally reported the incident at 10:30 a.m., but within an hour it had grown to 200 acres, closing all lanes of the roadway at Topanga Canyon Boulevard. As the fire drew closer, drivers were being urged to exit their vehicles and walk along Sunset Boulevard, just east of the intersection of the PCH and the main LA freeway.
Marsha Horowitz, who was traveling down Sunset at the time, said, “The fire department came up and said get out of your cars now because the fire was right up against the cars.” “There were three lanes of cars, and the fire was right down and there was nothing to stop it.”
Numerous other individuals were observed exiting their vehicles and heading in the direction of the sea. Just as fire officials instructed her to exit her vehicle, another driver reported seeing flames close. “The fire was all around us the trees and everything,” she stated.
Public officials in the nearby city of Santa Monica also stated that other roads would be stopped, including the northbound Pacific Coast Highway and the westbound 10 Freeway at Lincoln Boulevard.
In a notice, the mayor of Santa Monica stated, “Please avoid non-essential travel in northern portions of the city to facilitate evacuations and assist first responders.”
Stay tuned for more developments on this evolving story.
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