What to Know
- Pacific Palisades brush fire has burned approximately 750 acres.
- Brush fire is 0% contained.
- Mandatory evacuations in Zone 4, everyone east of Topanga Canyon between the Community House and View Ridge Zone 6 is everyone north of Entrada, south of Oakwood and east of Henry Ridge.
Members of the sheriff's Special Enforcement Bureau were searching for a person Saturday suspected of setting a brushfire that has now scorched about 750 acres and was flaring up in Pacific Palisades.
The South Coast Air Quality Management District issued a smoke advisory Sunday night and advised those who smell smoke or see ash to limit exposure by remaining indoors with windows and doors closed or seeking alternate shelter, and to avoid vigorous physical activity.
The search was confirmed by Deputy Alejandra Parra of the Sheriff's Information Bureau.
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A flare-up was reported at 4:07 p.m. Saturday by the Los Angeles County Fire Department, which sent a full first-alarm brush assignment and ordered fixed-wing air tankers to assist in containing a fire that the agency estimated at 100 acres with a potential for 500 acres and was now threatening structures, fire officials said.
There was no immediate structure threat because structures were to the south and west, and the flames were pushing north.
The LACo Fire Department ordered four additional fixed-wing air tankers as flames made a hard push to the north, the department tweeted at 5:08 p.m.
A Temporary Flight Restriction was requested for the area.
Mandatory evacuations in Zone 4, everyone east of Topanga Canyon between the Community House and View Ridge Zone 6 is everyone north of Entrada, south of Oakwood and east of Henry Ridge.
Large animals, meanwhile, can be taken to Pierce College in Woodland Hills.
Topanga Canyon Boulevard was closed between Mulholland Drive and Pacific Coast Highway due to firefighting activity, according to Malibu Emergency Services, which noted there was no threat to Malibu at this time though the large plume of smoke was visible.
The flames were being driven by wind gusts from the south-southwest at 15-25 mph, said the National Weather Service. “Humidities 50% or higher, but fuels are VERY dry,” the agency tweeted.
Air tankers assisting in the fire were suspended this Saturday evening due to poor visibility.
Residents in the area could see a large plume of smoke, said the Los Angeles Fire Department's Margaret Stewart.
The fire slopped over, Stewart said, “meaning the edge of the fire crossed a control line as opposed to a `spot fire' which is ahead of the fire body.”
The threatened area of land to the west is within the State Responsibility Area, so the Los Angeles County Fire Department will now be involved in a Unified Command with the Los Angeles Fire Department and CAL-FIRE, she said. LAFD and LACo Fire Department water-dropping helicopters were assisted by a Ventura County chopper.
“The terrain is very steep and extremely difficult to navigate which hinders ground based firefighting operations,” Stewart said. “The bulk of the firefighting is air based.”
The sheriff's Lost Hills Station reported at about 5:15 p.m. that it was preparing to evacuate an area that included Cheney Ranch Road and the community of Entrada.
The fire ignited in a remote area off Michael Lane and Palisades Court around 10 p.m. Friday, according to Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Nicholas Prange.
No injuries were reported, Stewart said. “The weather is cool and wet (with high humidity).”
“Last night's firefighting efforts were primarily from the air with LAFD helicopters making continuous water drops until 5 a.m., at which time the aircraft needed to undergo maintenance,” she said.
