Pacific Palisades Largely Burns to the Ground, as Pali High, 300 Homes Immolate

Update: Tahitian Village Mobile Estates and Palisades Bowl Trailer Park are both reportedly engulfed in flames. 8 pm PST 1.7.25

California State's leadership stood around unable to help the richest, bluest part of the County of Los Angeles, as the Palisades Fire burned home after home to the ground.

The exact number of homes burned in the Palisades Fire is not yet clear, but many structures have been reported destroyed as the fire threatens over 25,000 homes. Evacuations have been ordered for thousands of residents in the area.

My wife grew up in the Palisades. She just came to me and said her parents home burned to the ground, with all their worldly possessions. "They're starting over in their 90's, with only the clothes on their backs," she said.

Hundreds of homes in the most urban part of Pacific Palisades burned, with firemen unable to do much to stop the onslaught of wind and fire. No one is pointing fingers yet, but a reminder: Homeless people are behind 70% of fires in LA County. Oh, and the Democrats have had uni-party control over California for 20 plus years.

Gov. Newsom watches as Pacific Palisades burns.

10,000 homes threatened. 3000 acres has burned. A plea for trained fire fighters has gone out, to call 213-576-8962; they'll take anyone with training.

About 30,000 residents are under evacuation orders and more than 13,000 structures are under threat, said Kristin Crowley, fire chief of the LA Fire Department.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom said he saw "many structures already destroyed." Officials did not give an exact number of structures damaged or destroyed in the blaze.

The cause of the fire was not immediately known, and no injuries had been reported, officials said at a news conference Tuesday afternoon.

Newsom warned residents across Southern California not to assume they are out of danger, saying the worst of the winds are expected between 10 p.m. Tuesday and 5 a.m. Wednesday.

Cameraman watches as Pacific Palisades burns

Forecasters predicted the windstorm would last for days, producing isolated gusts that could top 100 mph (160 kph) in mountains and foothills - including in areas that haven't seen substantial rain in months. The National Weather service said it could be the strongest Santa Anawindstorm in more than a decade across Los Angeles and Ventura counties.

Roughly half a million utility customers were at risk of having their power shut off to reduce the risk of equipment sparking blazes.

In the Pacific Palisades neighborhood in western Los Angeles, a fire swiftly consumed nearly 2 square miles (just over 5 square kilometers) of land, sending up a dramatic plume of smoke visible across the city. Residents in Venice Beach, some 6 miles (10 kilometers) away, reported seeing the flames. It was one of several blazes across the area.