Fire in Los Angeles suburb scorches buildings and sparks panicked evacuation

More than 200 acres (80 hectares) were burning in Pacific Palisades, an elite neighborhood of multimillion-dollar homes in the Santa Monica Mountains, shutting down a key freeway and blanketing the area in thick smoke.
A fast-spreading wildfire in a Los Angeles suburb scorched buildings and sparked panicked evacuations, AFP reported.
More than 200 acres (80 hectares) were burning in Pacific Palisades, an elite neighborhood of multimillion-dollar homes in the Santa Monica Mountains, shutting down a key highway and blanketing the area with thick smoke.
Witnesses say at least 2 houses caught fire, and footage from the scene shows flames rising up the hillside and burning palm trees.
Roads in the area were blocked as residents rushed to get out of the way, and some people abandoned their cars in an attempt to get away.
Several people carried their pets with them as they walked through the streets, choked by the smoke.
Actor Steve Gutenberg - star of the 1984 comedy "Police Academy" - said he was trying to help get friends out of the area, but the roads were jammed.
The fire broke out on the morning of Jan. 7 and quickly grew, with dozens of firefighters dispatched to battle the blaze, including from the air.
Evacuation warnings were in effect for much of the area, and the fire was swirling and twisting in the wind. | BGNES