More than 30,000 people fled their homes as multiple wildfires driven by powerful Santa Ana winds blasted across parts of Los Angeles County on Wednesday, setting homes and hillsides ablaze as roadways clogged with residents scrambling to safety.
Gov. Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency as firefighters struggled to contain the fires. The Palisades Fire, which destroyed buildings and had burned nearly 3,000 acres by early Wednesday, was burning between the beach towns of Santa Monica and Malibu.
Photos from the scene showed homes ablaze, and Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley said 10,000 homes were threatened. Much of Los Angeles was enveloped in smoke.