More than 30,000 residents in the Los Angeles area have been ordered to evacuate due to a fast-moving, wind-driven wildfire in Pacific Palisades.

The Palisades Fire was first reported at approximately 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, according to KTLA-TV in Los Angeles. By 3:30 p.m., it had rapidly expanded to over 2,900 acres, fueled by strong Santa Ana winds, and officials warned it would likely continue to grow.

Mandatory evacuation orders were issued for the entire Pacific Palisades community, extending down to the Pacific Ocean. Officials stated during a press conference that more than 10,000 homes in Pacific Palisades and Malibu were impacted by the evacuation directive.

The wildfire produced dramatic scenes across the region. Flames consumed properties, plumes of smoke billowed into the air, and helicopters dropped water on the advancing blaze.

Hundreds of firefighters from across the region are battling the inferno, with law enforcement assisting in traffic control and evacuation efforts. The Los Angeles Police Department deployed more than 100 officers to support emergency responders, according to KTLA.

At a press briefing Tuesday afternoon, state and local officials, including Governor Gavin Newsom, addressed the critical conditions fueling the fire.

Newsom stated that he saw “firsthand the impact of these swirling winds and the embers,” and he said he found “not a few — many structures already destroyed.”

“By no stretch of the imagination are we out of the woods,” Newsom, who declared a state of emergency, warned residents, saying the worst of the winds are expected between 10:00 p.m. Tuesday and 5:00 a.m. Wednesday.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.