Los Angeles residents abandoned their vehicles and fled on foot as a fast-moving wildfire threatened the Pacific Palisades neighborhood on Tuesday. The fire, which quickly grew from 10 acres to several thousand, was fanned by powerful wind gusts reaching 100mph, propelling it towards the picturesque hillside enclave known for its celebrity residents.
By the time the fire reached the Pacific Coast Highway, the main route in and out of the area, gridlock ensued. With flames quickly approaching, authorities instructed evacuees to leave their cars behind, and many residents did so in panic. Marsha Horowitz, a local resident, recalled firefighters telling evacuees, “The fire was right up against the cars.”
One woman, who had rushed home to retrieve her cat, described harrowing scenes as flaming palm tree pieces fell around her. “It’s terrifying. It’s like a horror movie,” she said, running for safety amid the chaos. Hollywood actor James Woods, along with other celebrities such as Jennifer Aniston, Tom Hanks, and Reese Witherspoon, were among those forced to evacuate their homes in the area.
Amidst the panic, actor Steve Guttenberg urged those who had left their cars to leave the keys inside, so emergency vehicles could clear the way for fire trucks. Bulldozers later moved abandoned vehicles to facilitate the passage of fire crews.
The wildfire also impacted neighboring communities, including Topanga Canyon, where actors such as Ewan McGregor reside. In Venice Beach, residents reported ash falling and seeing the fire’s glow from miles away.
As the flames closed in on their homes, many residents had no choice but to run, with authorities issuing urgent warnings: “Run for your lives!” In a moment of desperation, Ellen Delosh-Bacher abandoned her car, leaving the keys in the ignition, and ran half a mile to safety with her elderly mother and two dogs. “This is like an apocalypse,” she said, highlighting the terrifying reality faced by residents in the fire’s path.
