In brief
A devastating wildfire in Los Angeles has prompted mass evacuations, with residents fleeing on foot as flames rapidly engulf the area. Eyewitness accounts describe chaotic scenes reminiscent of a disaster film, highlighting the urgency and danger faced by those trying to escape.
Screams filled the air as Los Angeles residents abandoned their vehicles, fleeing a raging wildfire that threatened the serene celebrity enclave of Pacific Palisades. Eyewitnesses painted a scene straight from a Hollywood disaster flick, as winds turned a manageable brush fire into roaring flames in just hours on Tuesday.As the fire surged, officials ordered 30,000 people to evacuate, with the blaze quickly escalating from 10 acres to thousands, encompassing nearby Malibu too. The neighborhood, known for its hillside streets winding through the Santa Monica Mountains and down to the Pacific coast, found itself on the brink of disaster.The Pacific Coast Highway, the primary escape route, became congested with traffic, leaving many motorists no choice but to abandon their cars in the midst of chaos, particularly near Sunset Boulevard. Marsha Horowitz, a resident, shared that firefighters urged those stuck in traffic to get out quickly as flames loomed dangerously close.Another survivor recalled her frantic race from Hollywood back to her home, where she needed to collect her cat. As she made her escape, burning palm branches fell around her. "It’s terrifying. It’s like a horror movie," she exclaimed.Celebrities like James Woods and Steve Guttenberg were among those who had to evacuate their homes, with Guttenberg urging motorists to leave their keys in the cars so fire trucks could navigate through the blocked streets.Bulldozers were later deployed to clear abandoned vehicles, allowing emergency crews access to tackle the encroaching flames. Other celebrities, including Jennifer Aniston and Tom Hanks, call Pacific Palisades home, and residents reported seeing flames from neighboring areas like Topanga Canyon.Melanie, a nearby resident, described a close call as she attempted to flee but found her escape route engulfed in flames. She and others expressed feelings of entrapment in a rapidly escalating emergency situation.Ash fell in nearby Venice Beach as the fire spread, with observers noting the distress of people leaving their cars with pets and children. Kelsey Trainor detailed the upheaval, stating that panic ensued as people cried and ran for safety.Ellen Delosh-Bacher, rushing to save her 95-year-old mother from downtown Los Angeles, encountered immobilizing traffic at crucial intersections, and ultimately left her car, keys still in the ignition, to sprint half a mile to the beach."This is like an apocalypse," she described, capturing the overwhelming sense of fear felt by the community as they faced the devastating reality of the wildfire.
