Pasadena Firefighters Dispatched to Help Fight Palisades Fire

A strike team has been dispatched to help battle the blaze in Palisades according to Fire Chief Chad Augustin.

Austin told Pasadena Now that before the fire broke out, the Pasadena Fire Department had a team on standby due to the weather forecast of fast moving Santa Ana winds.

A strike team was placed in a hotel last weekend and ready to assist if the need arose.

And that’s what happened on Tuesday when the fast moving fire aided by Santa Ana winds broke in that area.

Five engines carrying 22 local firefighters were immediately dispatched to Palisades to assist in the fight to save homes and local structures.

The fire has scorched 1,262 acres.

Air tankers and water-dropping helicopters could be seen making drops as firefighters from the area rushed to the scene from across the Southland.

The orders essentially cover the bulk of Pacific Palisades. It was unclear how many people were affected by the order, but more than 20,000 people live in the Pacific Palisades area.

People outside of the evacuation area were asked to shelter in place.

The nearby city of Malibu issued evacuation warnings for an area north of PCH and south of Rambla Pacifico Street, between Carbon Beach Terrace on the west and Las Flores Mesa Drive on the east. Malibu officials noted the fire was spreading rapidly with “long-range spotting.”

An evacuation center was established at the Westwood Recreation Center, 1350 S. Sepulveda Blvd., while large animals can be taken to the Los Angeles Equestrian Center, 480 Riverside Drive in Burbank.

Multiple structures could be seen burning in the fire zone, and there were repeated reports of police and fire crews working to rescue people from burning buildings — but there were no immediate reports of any injuries. On at least two occasions, crews responded to homes where people were in residential swimming pools to escape the flames.

Early Tuesday afternoon, crews raced to Los Angeles Fire Department Fire Station 23 along Sunset Boulevard, which was reported to be burning. There was no immediate update on damage to that structure.

The fire erupted amid Santa Ana winds that forecasters said could develop into the worst windstorm in the Southland in a decade. Red flag warnings of critical fire danger were expected to be in place until Thursday evening.

Mayor Karen Bass took to social media to urge residents to heed evacuation orders.

“In preparation for high winds, Los Angeles Fire Department pre-deployed strike teams in and near areas prone to wildfire,” she wrote. “Firefighters are now actively and aggressively responding to the #PalisadesFire with support from regional partners. Angelenos in the area are urged to heed evacuation warnings and follow direction from public safety officials. Due to increasing winds, this is a very dangerous situation. Sign up for @NotifyLA alerts and follow @LAFD for updated information — stay safe L.A.”