No Evacuation Orders Were Issued
A multi-acre brush fire that erupted Wednesday morning near multimillion-dollar homes in Pacific Palisades was quickly contained by over 60 firefighters, the Los Angeles Fire Department reported.
The blaze, which broke out shortly before 10 a.m. in the 1400 block of North Palisades Drive, prompted a swift response on the ground and from helicopters conducting targeted water drops.
“The precisely targeted rapid water drops from LAFD Air Operations combined with firefighters’ aggressive fire attack on the ground held the fire to approximately one acre,” LAFD noted in a later statement, as reported by NBC4 Los Angeles. Footage from ABC7 captured a scene of firefighters in single-file ascending the steep hillside to battle the flames directly, while helicopters performed strategic water drops overhead.
“Topography — not wind — [is driving] the fire,” observed KTLA’s Rich Prickett, underscoring the unique challenges posed by the area’s terrain.
The fire burned through heavy brush near the Santa Ynez Reservoir but did not threaten nearby homes, and no evacuation orders were issued. “Fortunately, this is not a wind event,” said LAFD Public Information Officer Margaret Stewart, adding that firefighters faced challenges due to limited access to hydrants, requiring the deployment of water tenders to provide additional water, reported KTLA.
By 11 a.m., firefighters successfully stopped the fire’s forward progress, though crews remained on-site to manage mop-up operations due to the steep terrain.
No injuries or structural damage were reported, and the cause of the fire remains under investigation.
