Tens of thousands have fled their homes as a brush fire in the Pacific Palisades has burned more than 15,000 acres as of Wednesday. Earlier, authorities had said the blaze could grow further with strong winds fueling its spread.

The blaze began shortly after the start of a Santa Ana windstorm that the National Weather service warned could be the strongest to hit Southern California in more than a decade.

Fierce wildfires fueled by powerful Santa Ana winds are sending residents fleeing from burning homes through flames, ferocious winds and towering clouds of smoke.