Tens of thousands have fled their homes as a brush fire in the Pacific Palisades has burned more than 17,000 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.

Three wildfires were raging Wednesday, Jan. 8, forcing evacuations and threatening homes in Los Angeles County.