Getty Fire: Thousands Evacuate In Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES, CA — A 618-acre blaze shut down the San Diego (405) Freeway Monday and threatened thousands of homes as fierce winds drove the fast-moving fire through the heart of LA. More than 10,000 people had to flee their homes, and dozens of schools were forced to close due to the fire. By day's end, at least eight homes were destroyed in the blaze, and thousands of families were left without power as the wind-driven wildfire wreaked havoc on Los Angeles.

According to CHP and Los Angeles Fire Department officials, witnesses reported seeing the blaze burning at about 1:30 a.m. along the Sepulveda Pass hillside with a power pole going up in flames. It quickly spread, driven by the Santa Ana winds, and thousands were forced to flee their homes in the middle of the night. Thousands more woke up to discover power outages, school closures and traffic nightmares. By late afternoon, the fire was just 5 percent contained.

The evacuation area essentially stretched between the 405 Freeway west to Temescal Canyon Road, between Sunset Boulevard and Mulholland Drive, LAFD spokeswoman Margaret Stewart said. The Southbound 405 Freeway, which was closed for much of the day Monday, reopened in the evening. However, on and off-ramps between the 101 Freeway and Sunset Boulevard remained closed late monday night.

An area south of Sunset to Pacific Coast Highway was briefly ordered evacuated, but those orders were downgraded to an evacuation warning by midday. Residents in the area between Temescal Canyon Road and Topanga Canyon, from Sunset to Mulholland, were also told to be prepared to evacuate if necessary.

Late Monday afternoon, evacuation orders were lifted for the Mountaingate community just south of Mulholland Drive, but Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said all other evacuees should anticipate being out of their homes for at least two days. He said authorities don't want to lift evacuations prematurely, only to order people back out if winds kick up again overnight or Tuesday afternoon.

Some of the most expensive homes in the country were in the path of the flames, and Los Angeles athletes and celebrities found themselves turned away as they joined thousands who sought refuge at area hotels. Lakers star LeBron James tweeted about his ordeal.

Former governor and star of "Terminator: Dark Fate," Arnold Schwarzenegger was also forced to evacuate as the red carpet premiere of his film was canceled because of the fire.

"We evacuated safely at 3:30 this morning," Schwarzenegger wrote on Twitter. "If you are in an evacuation zone, don't screw around. Get out. Right now I am grateful for the best firefighters in the world, the true action heroes who charge into the danger to protect their fellow Californians."

Paramount Pictures announced plans to donate the food intended for the aborted premiere's after-party to the fire victims through the American Red Cross.

Los Angeles Fire Department Capt. Eric Scott said in an update from the fire scene that more than 10,000 homes were initially under mandatory evacuation. At least eight structures had burned. He said no injuries were reported, the Getty Center is not currently threatened.

Unlike the Skirball fire that scorched the same region two years ago, the Getty Fire was not begun by an illegal homeless encampment, Mayor Eric Garcetti announced Monday, but fire officials have not disclosed any information about what sparked the blaze.

SEE FULL LIST OF SCHOOL CLOSURES: Getty Fire Closes Santa Monica-Malibu Schools

SEE FULL LIST OF EVACUATIONS: Getty Fire Evacuations And Road Closures

Getty Fire Evacuation Zone courtesy of the Los Angeles Fire Department

Around 2:45 a.m., the Los Angeles Fire Department sent L.A. residents messages on their cell phones, accompanied by what some described as very loud buzzing noises. It said: "Emergency Alert. Prepare to evacuate due to fire near the Getty going W. More info: lafd.org/alerts ." A subsequent message included orders to actually evacuate.

As of Monday, approximately 900 customers in the Getty fire area were without power, the Department of Water and Power reported.

Governor Gavin Newsom declared a statewide emergency due to the fire, securing a Fire Management Assistance Grant will assist local, state and tribal agencies responding to the fire to apply for 75 percent reimbursement of their eligible fire-suppression costs.

The LAFD also ordered students to evacuate from Mount Saint Mary's University at 12001 Chalon Road. Evacuations were also ordered for 200 people in a care facility next door. Classes were suspended Monday at Mount Saint Mary's Chalon Campus in Brentwood as well as at the Doheny campus, which was not reported threatened by fire.

Evacuation centers were soon open at the Westwood Recreation Center at 1350 S. Sepulveda Blvd. near Wilshire Boulevard, the Van Nuys/Sherman Oaks Recreation Center at 14201 Huston St. and for animals at the West Valley Animal Shelter at 20655 Plummer St. and the West L.A. Animal Shelter at 11361 W. Pico Blvd.

The Los Angeles Unified School District tweeted these schools would be closed because of the fire: Palisades and University high schools, Emerson and Revere middle schools and Brentwood, Brockton, Canyon, Community Magnet, Fairburn, Kentner, Marquez, Palisades, Roscomare, Nora Sterry, Topanga, Warner and Westwood elementary schools.

The Los Angeles Police Department announced a citywide tactical alert, which means officers currently working will stay on duty until further notice.

"This is a very dynamic situation due to high winds and information is quickly developing. Stay vigilant," Stewart wrote on Twitter.

The fire was believed to have been 3-4 acres when first observed and but soon spread to about 40 acres. By 3:30 a.m., it was reported at more than 70 acres. By 5 a.m. it had burgeoned to 250 acres and soon after that was reported at more than 400 acres.

City News Service and Patch Staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report.