A wildfire has burned about 80 hectares and threatened homes in an upscale area of Los Angeles in the United States, forcing evacuations after officials warned of extreme fire danger from dry, powerful winds.
The fire in the Pacific Palisades area of the city, between Santa Monica and Malibu, led the Los Angeles Fire Department to issue a mandatory evacuation order for a large area from the hills of Topanga Canyon to the coastline.
Huge billows of smoke could be seen blowing from the hills from kilometres away as flames encroached on nearby homes.
The fire is fuelled by Santa Ana winds that blow warm and dry winds from the inland deserts towards the coast.
"Immediate threat to life. This is a lawful order to LEAVE NOW," read one notice posted by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire).
Some residents walked away from the blaze, while others got stuck in traffic in their cars.
Before the fire started, the National Weather Service had issued its highest alert for extreme conditions in much of Los Angeles County until Thursday.
The service predicted wind gusts of 80-130km/h, with isolated winds of 130-160 km/h in the mountains and foothills, combined with low humidity and dry vegetation due to a lack of rain.
"In other words, this is about as bad as it gets in terms of fire weather," the Los Angeles office of the National Weather Service said on social media.
Actor Steve Guttenberg - star of 1984 comedy 'Police Academy' - said he was trying to help friends leave the area, but the roads were jammed.
"If you leave your car ... leave the key in there so a guy like me can move your car so that these fire trucks can get up there. It's really, really important," he told broadcaster KTLA.
One resident said that hot ashes were raining down on his community of Searidge.
"I've seen this on TV before, and I never thought wind could affect fire like this.
"There was smoke in the distance, and I was assured that it would not come over the hill ... Five minutes later, it's coming down the hill.
"Everyone panicked, that's when everybody made a run and went to go and pack their houses up," he said.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass ordered emergency measures that mobilised authorities to prepare for downed power lines and trees likely to cause electricity outages.
Los Angeles Fire Department Captain Erik Scott urged against complacency because of cool winter weather, warning of "explosive wildfire behavior" in a public service message.
Wildfires are an expected part of life in the US west and play a vital role in the natural cycle.
But scientists say human-caused climate change is altering weather patterns, making droughts longer and more intense, which creates the conditions for faster and more dangerous blazes.
Additional reporting AFP
