Pacific Palisades fire: Evacuations, road closures, shelters

Palisades fire: Evacuations, road closures, shelters, schools, forecast

A firefighting plane makes a drop over a smoking landscape.

By Hannah FryStaff Writer

Jan. 7, 2025 Updated 10:57 PM PT

Firefighters were battling a fast-moving fire that broke out Tuesday morning along Piedra Morada Drive in Pacific Palisades and by evening had grown to more than 2,900 acres.

The blaze, which started around 10:30 a.m., damaged homes and forced thousands to evacuate. Some residents had to leave their cars on the side of the road in their attempt to leave. The cause of the fire was not immediately clear.

Forecast

Wind gusts of 50 to 70 mph were recorded in Los Angeles on Tuesday. The National Weather Service said strong north winds were expected around the fire through at least Wednesday, with speeds peaking from 35 to 60 mph between 10 p.m. Tuesday and 5 a.m. Wednesday.

Evacuations

Mandatory evacuation orders have been issued north to Mulholland Drive, east to Kenter Avenue and south to Pacific Coast Highway.

Shelters

Westwood Recreation Center, at 1350 S. Sepulveda Blvd. The shelter also accepts small animals.
An emergency evacuation shelter for large animals has been set up at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center, 480 Riverside Drive, Burbank.

Road closures

Southbound Pacific Coast Highway is closed at Topanga Canyon Boulevard
Southbound Pacific Coast Highway is closed at Las Flores Canyon Road
Coastline Drive and southbound Pacific Coast Highway at Coastline Drive

Schools

All schools are closed Wednesday in the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District. And school closures expanded rapidly across the Los Angeles Unified School District, the nation’s second-largest school system.

The Santa Monica-Malibu school system had initially limited the closures to the Malibu area but this posture became unsustainable as the fire danger — and evacuations — spread into Santa Monica.

The Los Angeles Unified School District Wednesday morning announced that it has closed a large swath of schools — about 100 of about 1,000 — for the day. It has schools affected — or potentially affected — by four fires in the region.

Until well into the early morning, and well after school buses were scheduled to be deployed, L.A. school officials had maintained that only five schools — all affected by the Palisades fire — would be closed.

The situation, updated at 7:41 a.m., is that, in addition, schools in the central and eastern part of Los Angeles Unified (North of Manchester Boulevard/Firestone Boulevard, East of 10th Avenue, West of Interstate 710, and South of Highway 134) “that are experiencing hazardous air quality conditions will be closed today.”

The statement added that “a full list of schools will be released shortly.”

“The situation rapidly changed overnight as the Eaton fire exploded and it is prudent that we follow the science and close schools,” the district release stated.

The Palisades fire closures will affect at least the following schools:

Canyon Elementary School, Palisades Charter Elementary School, Kentor Canyon Elementary Charter, Marquez Charter Elementary School and Paul Revere Charter Middle School will be closed.
All closed schools will provide digital academic content on Wednesday.
Topanga Elementary Charter School students should report to Woodland Hills Academy at 20800 Burbank Blvd, Woodland Hills.

Affected schools are communicating directly with families. Please visit lausd.org for updates. If families need additional support, please contact the school district’s family hotline at (213) 443-1300.

Santa Monica College announced its Malibu campus would be closed Wednesday.

Several schools are closed due to the Eaton fire that broke out Tuesday night in Altadena. See a list of school closures here.