People Abandon Cars As They Flee Palisades Fire In Southern California

People ditched their cars on the road and kept moving on foot as they escaped the wind-fueled wildfire in Pacific Palisades on Tuesday that engulfed the Los Angeles neighborhood and prompted officials to order thousands of residents to evacuate, making for apocalyptic scenes in images shown on news reports and across social media.

CBS News reported that authorities told drivers to leave their cars behind as Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) was shut down in the Malibu area. The news outlet also noted that all lanes of Topanga Canyon Boulevard were closed as the wildfire grew in size and, on part of Sunset Boulevard, drivers were told to leave their cars and move on foot as the blaze approached.

The Palisades Fire moved in so quickly, evacuees panicked. Every car represents someone or a family that, in fear, abandoned their cars, and fled on foot. The wind could reach 100 mph tonight. pic.twitter.com/z0weB3WS2d

— Jonathan Vigliotti 🐋 (@JonVigliotti) January 8, 2025

“The fire came right down to the road and the fire department came up and said get out of your cars now — because the fire was right up against the cars,” said Marsha Horowitz, who was driving down Sunset Boulevard at the time, according to the report from CBS News. “There were three lanes of cars, and the fire was right down and there was nothing to stop it.”

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Fire crews are using a bulldozer to move abandoned cars to make way for firefighters fighting the #PalisadesFirepic.twitter.com/IOu5ZtSubn

— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) January 7, 2025

Fox 11 Los Angeles reported that fire crews used a bulldozer to move cars out of the way so that they could respond to the wildfire. A segment from KLTA, which was posted to X, showed a large red bulldozer shoving multiple vehicles as a reporter on the scene explained that drivers “panicked” and took their keys as they left their cars behind for as far as he could see.

“I have friends up there that can’t get out”: Actor Steve Guttenberg urges those living in the Pacific Palisades area to evacuate. He advises people leaving vehicles behind to leave their keys inside so they can be moved.
More: https://t.co/G7qJkk06mI
NewsNation affiliate @KTLA pic.twitter.com/rLxfPCNewH

— NewsNation (@NewsNation) January 7, 2025

“Police Academy” actor Steve Guttenberg, a local, told KTLA that he was moving abandoned cars on Palisades Drive to help people who got stuck in the gridlock. “What’s happening is people take their keys with them as if they’re in a parking lot. This is not a parking lot. We really need people to move their cars,” Guttenberg said. “If you leave your car behind, leave the key in there so a guy like me can move your car so that these fire trucks can get up there.”