'Hell itself': Video shows frightening scene along Pacific Coast Highway as fires rage
Multiple wildfires fueled by destructive Santa Ana winds blasted across parts of Los Angeles County Tuesday into Wednesday, setting homes, buildings and hillsides ablaze.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency as firefighters struggled to contain the Palisades Fire, which destroyed buildings and had burned nearly 3,000 acres by early Wednesday. More than 30,000 people were forced to flee their homes as fire burned between the beach towns of Santa Monica and Malibu.
Video footage captured by Alexandra Datig presented an apocalyptic scene along the Pacific Coast Highway in Los Angeles, with smoke everywhere, glaring flames, downed power lines and explosions.
Live updates: Thousands flee, homes burn as wind-driven fires rage in California
Video shows fire blazing on Pacific Coast Highway
Datig, in the video says, the experience is “like driving through hell itself."
“All of PCH is on fire right now,” she says in the video. “Things are exploding, gas lines are on fire … It is like driving through hell itself. This is madness down here, these homes are on fire, and you can feel the heat from the flames, even from inside your car.”
As evacuees attempted to seek shelter in neighboring Southern California cities like Santa Monica and Marina del Rey, they were trapped in gridlock for hours. Some frightened residents even abandoned their cars on one of the only roads in and out of the upscale Pacific Palisades area, fleeing on foot from the engulfing blaze.
Palisades fire map
Extreme fire behavior, including "short and long-range spotting," continues to challenge firefighting efforts, Cal Fire said in an incident update Wednesday. The fire was listed as "0%" contained. Winds gusts of up to 60 mph were expected to continue through Thursday, potentially aiding in "further fire activity."
"Immediate threat to life. This is a lawful order to LEAVE NOW," the updated warned. "The area is lawfully closed to public access."
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, meanwhile, thanked Los Angeles Fire Department crews for "fighting fires through the night."
"Thank you to all the crews working tirelessly to respond and protect life and property," Bass said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
Contributing: John Bacon, USA TODAY
Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Video shows fires' destruction on Pacific Coast Highway: 'Hell itself'