Palisades fire trucks bulldoze cars abandoned by Los Angeles residents trying to evacuate inferno: live updates

The California Department of Forest and Fire Protection just warned residents that there is an imminent threat to their lives.

In a statement, the department said: “Immediate threat to life. This is a lawful order to LEAVE NOW. The area is legally closed to the public.”

An evacuation center has been set up Westwood Recreation Center

at 1350 South Sepulveda Blvd for anyone seeking shelter.

The 200-acre wildfire was first reported around 10:30 a.m. Tuesday and authorities have described the flames as a blowtorch.

Authorities issued an “immediate” evacuation order for Pacific Palisades and urged residents to “LEAVE NOW.”

Pacific Palisades is a well-known celebrity enclave, home to the likes of Miles and Keleigh Teller and Chris Pratt and his wife Katherine Schwarzenegger.

J-Lo and Ben Affleck used to own a house in the area, as did Matt Damon.

Adam Levine and Behati Prinsloo also lived in the area until recently.

Officials bulldoze abandoned cars in Pacific Palisades in an effort to get rescue equipment to the heart of the fire.

Panicked residents abandoned their cars in gridlocked traffic on Palisades Drive, making it impossible for first responders to reach the inferno.

Extraordinary footage shows these cars being pushed aside by a bulldozer.

The city of Los Angeles announced Tuesday afternoon that “due to fire activity and weather conditions, the following schools are moving:

Palisades Charter Elementary School and Marquez Charter Elementary School are moving to Brentwood Elementary Science Magnet at 740 Gretna Green Way, Los Angeles, CA 90049.

Paul Revere Charter Middle School moves to University High School Charter at 11800 Texas Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90025.

Topanga Elementary Charter School students reported to Woodland Hills Academy at 20800 Burbank Blvd, Woodland Hills, 91367.

Affected schools are communicating directly with families.”

The fire now covers 770 hectares, which has more than doubled in size in just half an hour.

At 2 p.m. local time it was only 300 hectares.

Reports are coming out of Pacific Palisades that residents are finding it difficult to leave due to the amount of abandoned cars on the roads.

Police Academy star Steve Guttenberg said the fire is near his home and people are abandoning their cars, making it difficult for the fire truck to get onto the road.

Guttenberg urges his fellow neighbors to leave their keys in their cars when they abandon their cars “so guys like me can move your car.”

“We really need people to move their cars,” he said KTL. “So if you leave your car on Palisades Drive, leave the key in there.”

James Woods, 77, shared video of the fire near his home Tuesday afternoon as he prepared to evacuate.

“I’m standing in my driveway, ready to evacuate. There are a lot of planes flying over dropping water,” he said.

In the video, it appeared as if a house further up the hills was already engulfed in flames.

Southern California Edison (SCE) shut off power to Cuthbert, Galahad and parts of Malibu on Tuesday due to “dangerous fire hazards,” according to a alert on Tuesday.

The company expected the power to be out for at least eight hours and could be longer if crews need daylight to visibly inspect power lines and equipment. The inspection is required before SCE will restore power.

About 27,000 homes across the state are without power, the report said poweroutage.us.

According to meteorologist Paul Deano, the wildfire situation in California is an ‘almost worst-case scenario’ for locals.

He said winds of up to 90 km per hour are pushing the fire further into neighborhoods, endangering more homes and civilian lives.

Los Angeles Fire Station 23 has reportedly caught fire as the Pacific Palisades inferno continues to spread.

The Los Angeles Fire Department has released a map showing the mandatory evacuation zone.