More than 500 homes evacuated in Los Angeles County as brush fire spreads

More than 500 homes in the Los Angeles area have been evacuated due to a brush fire that started Saturday and has burned 750 acres of Los Angeles County.

As of Sunday, the Palisades fire was at zero percent containment and had spread to 1,325 acres, The New York Times reported, citing the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

The Times noted that the fire department has said the fire was “deemed to be a ‘suspicious start’ and it remains an open, active investigation.” One person has been detained and released and another was being questioned as of Sunday night.

No reports of injuries or damaged structures have been made so far, the Times reported.

*MANDATORY EVACUATIONS ORDERED* See attached images. If you live in Zone 4 or Zone 6 in Topanga (boxes outlined in blue) please evacuate. Also hard closure at Topanga/Mulholland and Topanga/PCH #PalisadesFire
#@LAFD @CAL_FIRE pic.twitter.com/pXLaa66Y0h

— L.A. County Fire Department (@LACoFDPIO) May 16, 2021

660 Gal. of water on the #PalisadesFire from VC Cpt. 2. Each drop requires coordination between the @VENTURASHERIFF Pilot, @VCFD Fire Manager identifying targets, and the crew chief communicating and managing the bucket behavior. pic.twitter.com/pctEmPhe08

— VenturaCoAirUnit (@VCAirUnit) May 17, 2021

According to the fire department’s operations chief, Albert Ward, the fire started in the southern half of Topanga State Park and has spread northeast.

Ward advised people against trying to return to their homes as the evacuation order is still in place.

“If you see fire rigs, you know, stay back, give them their space. Because any time there’s a life threat and we have to start dealing with a life threat and it takes away from the mission of fighting the fire,” he said. “Stay away from this area if you don’t have a need to be here.”