Second Los Angeles-Area Fire Erupts As Firefighters Battle Palisades Inferno

A massive, rapidly moving brushfire has erupted in Pasadena California, prompting evacuations across the city of 150,000. The second blaze has erupted as firefighters are already battling an out-of-control inferno in the Pacific Palisades area, which has already prompted more than 30,000 evacuations and left untold numbers of buildings torched.

Hundreds of acres have already gone up in flames as emergency crews battle the Eaton fire, which continues to rage through the Angeles National Forest near Altadena and Pasadena on Tuesday night. The Eaton fire is the second major fire to erupt in the Los Angeles area as the region deals with strong Santa Ana winds and an already elevated fire risk.

It erupted shortly after 6 p.m. local time in Eaton Canyon near Altadena Drive and Midwick Drive, according to CBS Los Angeles. Within two hours, the blaze had exploded in size to engulf more than 400 acres of brush as it burned uphill, according to an announcement from the Angeles National Forest on X. Pasadena fire crews have stated that strong wind in the area is causing the inferno to behave erratically and spread rapidly. The fire has already placed an untold number of structures at risk, according to city spokesperson Lisa Derderian. Emergency crews are currently working to evacuate residents, set up emergency operations centers and evacuate vulnerable populations such as hospital patients and the elderly.

Footage captured by UC San Diego shows the rapid expansion of the Eaton Fire over the course of several minutes

Emergency crews evacuate residents from a senior care facility in Pasadena

As of 7:20 p.m. evacuation orders were issued for some people living in both Altadena and Pasadena, according to a report from local outlet KCAL. It remains unclear exactly how many people were impacted by the orders, while an unknown number of residents were evacuated from convalescent homes. An evacuation center was established at the Westwood Recreation Center, which is located at 1350 S. Sepulveda Boulevard in Los Angeles, officials announced.

The Eaton Fire comes as Southern California firefighting resources are already tied up with a massive brushfire in the Pacific Palisades, which is located about 40 miles west of Pasadena. The massive wildfire has already torched more than 2,900 acres and destroyed dozens of buildings since it first ignited on Tuesday morning. More than 10,300 homes are threatened by the blaze, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department, and it is currently unclear how many have already been affected.

Due to the fire’s erratic movements and rapid expansion, some residents were forced to abandon their cars while evacuating the area. Several Los Angeles area roadways have been brought to a halt as an increasing number of residents are forced to evacuate affected areas.

Southern California is currently in the midst of one of the worst wind storms to impact the region in decades. According to the National Weather Service, some areas can expect wind gusts up to 80-miles-per-hour, with the strongest gusts exceeding 100 miles-per-hour. The poor weather conditions have severely impacted aerial firefighting efforts, as planes that would be deploying airborne fire suppressants remain grounded. With resources spread thin, the Los Angeles County Fire Department has called on all off-duty firefighters to respond to the blaze, while firefighters from surrounding regions are also being asked to assist.

As the Palisades fire continues to rage, the City of Santa Monica issued mandatory evacuation orders for large swaths of the area.”City of Santa Monica is issuing an Evacuation Order for all areas of the city north of San Vicente,” the city said in a post to social media. “Evacuation Order: Immediate threat to life. This is a lawful order to LEAVE NOW. The area is closed to public access.” Santa Monica, a city of roughly 90,000, is located between Malibu and Los Angeles, and just to the west of the Pacific Palisades.

California Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency over the fires. “Southern California residents: stay vigilant, take all necessary precautions, and follow local emergency guidance,” the governor announced in an X post on Tuesday evening. At the federal level, President Biden said in a statement he was monitoring developments and “had offered any federal assistance that is needed to help suppress the terrible Pacific Palisades fire.”

Governor Newsom was on hand for a press conference in which Los Angeles officials provided updates on evacuation and emergency response plans. “This is a highly dangerous windstorm that’s creating extreme fire risk – and we’re not out of the woods. We’re already seeing the destructive impacts with this fire in Pacific Palisades that grew rapidly in a matter of minutes,” Newsom said in a statement. “Our deepest thanks go to our expert firefighters and first responders who jumped quickly into fighting this dangerous fire. If you’re in Southern California, please pay attention to weather reports and follow any guidance from emergency officials.”

This is a developing story.