Palisades Fire reaches Brentwood, threatens new communities
Jan 11, 2025
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LOS ANGELES (KTLA) - The Palisades Fire, already one of the most destructive natural disasters in Los Angeles history, set its sights on yet another neighborhood on Saturday.
Ground and aerial firefighters scrambled to save homes in Brentwood, and at least one home was lost to the fire as of 1 p.m. Footage from Sky5 showed a house in Mandeville Canyon engulfed in flames and the fire encroaching on other properties in this exclusive neighborhood.
By Saturday night, the Palisades Fire was mapped at 23,654 acres and was 11% contained. More than 5,000 structures, many of them homes, have been destroyed in the Pacific Palisades and Malibu.
The Palisades Fire made a push toward Brentwood on Saturday morning and threatened homes. (KTLA)Firefighting air planes and helicopters drop water over flames in Topanga Canyon during Palisades wildfire in Topanga, Los Angeles, California, United States on January 10, 2025. (Getty Images)Smoke from the Palisades Fire rises over residences in Mandeville Canyon Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)The Palisades Fire made a push toward Brentwood on Saturday morning and threatened homes. (KTLA)Sky5 view of the northern flank of the Palisades Fire on Jan. 10, 2025. (KTLA)Smoke from the Palisades Fire rises over a ridge as seen from the Encino section of Los Angeles on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel)A home burns in the Brentwood area of Los Angeles on Jan. 11, 2025. (KTLA)Sky5 view of the northern flank of the Palisades Fire on Jan. 10, 2025. (KTLA)A home is threatened by the Palisades Fire in Topanga, California. Jan. 10, 2025. (KTLA)
On Saturday night, aerial and ground crews are making progress as containment continues growing. Firefighters were desperately working to prevent the already deadly and historic wildfire from reaching another major population center, the San Fernando Valley, a short distance north of Brentwood over the Santa Monica Mountains.
The fire was moving north and east toward the Encino Hills. It also threatened the famous Getty Center and Skirball Center, which contain priceless works of art and historical relics.
Also, for the first time since the fire erupted on Tuesday, evacuation warnings have extended to the east side of the 405 Freeway into Bel-Air. In nearby Westwood, the UCLA Police Department told the university's community to be prepared to evacuate.
Areas in red represent the parts of Los Angeles under mandatory evacuation orders from the Palisades Fire, while areas in yellow are under evacuation warnings. Jan. 11, 2025. (LAFD)
More than 3,700 firefighting personnel were assigned to the blaze, and 24 helicopters and 463 engines were battling the flames.
The fire erupted on Tuesday, fanned by hurricane-force Santa Ana winds. Within hours, residential neighborhoods in the Pacific Palisades were leveled, and the iconic downtown area was wiped out. Homes and businesses along Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu were also lost to the flames.
Damage is believed to be in the tens of billions of dollars - if not more than $100 billion.
Another urgent concern was the return of strong winds Saturday evening and beyond. A Fire Weather Watch was set to begin at 6 p.m. Saturday and remain in effect through 6 p.m. Sunday.
"Moderate to strong Santa Ana winds are likely to return Tuesday and Wednesday, creating critical fire weather conditions," CalFire incident commanders said.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.