The Los Angeles Fire Department ordered residents living west of a fast-moving brush fire along the 405 Freeway to evacuate Monday morning.
LAFD issued an evacuation order for an area bordered by Mulholland Drive to the north, the 405 to the east, Sunset Boulevard to the south and Temescal Canyon Road to the west. The evacuation zone included Pacific Palisades and small parts of Santa Monica north of San Vicente Boulevard. Residents were notified by a Wireless Emergency Alert at about 2:45 a.m.
The Getty fire broke out at about 1:30 a.m. Monday and burned more than 600 acres near the Getty Center, destroying at least eight homes. The fire was propelled to the west and south by strong Santa Ana winds, which are expected to return Wednesday.
LAFD Capt. Erik Scott said about 3,300 homes were threatened in the Mountaingate and Mandeville Canyon areas and more than 10,000 structures were in the mandatory evacuation zones. The southbound 405 was closed Monday morning through 3 p.m. from Valley Vista to Sunset Boulevard.
About 1,100 firefighters were battling the fire as of noon Monday, fire officials said.
"They were literally overwhelmed. They had to make some tough decisions on which houses they were able to protect," said LAFD Chief Ralph Terrazas. "It depends on where the ember lands. We saw homes that were adjacent to homes that were totally destroyed without any damage."
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said it is not yet known what caused the fire, but officials are investigating it as an arson case. Unlike the 2017 Skirball fire, it was not caused by a homeless encampment, he said.
In Santa Monica, smoke and ash were visible in the sky and poor air quality in some parts of the city prompted many to don masks before going outside. All public grade schools in Santa Monica and Malibu have closed for the day, as well as Crossroads School. Santa Monica College and UCLA both canceled classes.
Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Superintendent Ben Drati said in an email to parents that the district decided to close schools because the fire blocked the 405 for many teachers and staff, air quality was unhealthy in many neighborhoods and Malibu is on notice for power shutoffs and extreme fire risk.
Drati said he expects schools to reopen Tuesday, but will notify parents of any closures by 6:30 a.m.
Evacuation centers were set up at recreation centers in Westwood, Sherman Oaks, Pacific Palisades and Cheviot Hills. The West Valley Animal Shelter, West LA Animal Shelter and the Hanson Dam Recreation Area opened their doors to animals displaced by the fire.
Los Angeles Councilmember Mike Bonin encouraged residents to be ready to go if they are in an evacuation warning zone.
"If you are in the areas for a potential evacuation, get ready, get set and if you want to go, go now," he said.
Councilmember Paul Koretz had a strong message for anyone in the mandatory evacuation area.
"If you’re in the mandatory evacuation zone and you’re still there watching this, you’re an idiot, get the hell out," he said. "It’s way too dangerous."
On the northernmost edge of Santa Monica, residents continued to jog up and down the Santa Monica Stairs, a popular workout spot.
Alex Vlassopoulos said he wasn't concerned about air quality in the area near the evacuation zone because the wind had carried the smoke away from the area.
"I wouldn't be here doing the stairs if I was concerned about the air quality," he said.
Bill Crowe, a Loyola Marymount University student who was visiting his parents' home on Amalfi Drive over the weekend, said walked for half an hour to get out of the evacuation zone and call an Uber to campus. The air irritated his throat, he said.
"I started coughing a bit while I was walking," Crowe said.
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