Los Angeles, United States - January 07, 2025 On January 7, X user TC posted horrifying videos showing the massive Palisades Fire as it tore through the LA area, forcing mass evacuations. The fire broke out around 10:30 a.m. near Piedra Morada Drive, rapidly spreading across more than 2,900 acres by evening amid dangerous, dry offshore winds. Roughly 30,000 residents from Pacific Palisades, Topanga, and Malibu were ordered to evacuate as the flames charged southwest, filling the sky with thick smoke. Traffic jams and heavy smoke complicated the evacuation as the fire crossed Palisades Drive, leaving many in precarious situations. Some abandoned their cars to flee on foot, while others had to shelter in place. Firefighters responded to multiple calls of people trapped, though no injuries were reported by Tuesday evening, according to LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell. The Getty Villa and Palisades Charter High School both caught fire as the blaze continued to spread. Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency and secured federal aid for firefighting costs, calling the fire a “hell of a way to start a new year.”