Corina Knoll

So we knew that there was going to be really high winds in our area. It's something that we're a little bit used to down here, and it's not something that I think we get too worried about, but we were hearing from forecasters that it was going to be pretty extreme. So Tuesday morning, I was just trying to prep a story about the wind and working with

So we knew that there was going to be really high winds in our area. It's something that we're a little bit used to down here, and it's not something that I think we get too worried about, but we were hearing from forecasters that it was going to be pretty extreme. So Tuesday morning, I was just trying to prep a story about the wind and working with

reporters in the field who were kind of telling me that, oh, okay, people are at hardware stores prepping, buying candles, generators in case the power goes out. Then everything changed at about 10.30 a.m. That's when a fire broke out in this neighborhood called the Pacific Palisades. It just suddenly became a fire story.

reporters in the field who were kind of telling me that, oh, okay, people are at hardware stores prepping, buying candles, generators in case the power goes out. Then everything changed at about 10.30 a.m. That's when a fire broke out in this neighborhood called the Pacific Palisades. It just suddenly became a fire story.

So the Pacific Palisades is a neighborhood that's out on the west side. It's partially coastal. It's very hilly. It's in the Santa Monica Mountains, has about 24,000 residents. It's considered more affluent.

So the Pacific Palisades is a neighborhood that's out on the west side. It's partially coastal. It's very hilly. It's in the Santa Monica Mountains, has about 24,000 residents. It's considered more affluent.

And I think what sort of struck us is that, of course, we're used to wildfires here in Southern California, but it breaking out in the Pacific Palisades because it's such a heavily populated area, that's when we get really nervous about fires here.

And I think what sort of struck us is that, of course, we're used to wildfires here in Southern California, but it breaking out in the Pacific Palisades because it's such a heavily populated area, that's when we get really nervous about fires here.

Yeah. When we started hearing about the evacuation orders, I pulled up a map and looked at the neighborhood. And it's a hillside neighborhood. And you have all of these winding roads. And a lot of them are cul-de-sacs or dead ends. And I remember just thinking, you know, it's going to be really terrible for there to be a mass evacuation right now.

Yeah. When we started hearing about the evacuation orders, I pulled up a map and looked at the neighborhood. And it's a hillside neighborhood. And you have all of these winding roads. And a lot of them are cul-de-sacs or dead ends. And I remember just thinking, you know, it's going to be really terrible for there to be a mass evacuation right now.

People were getting in their cars but getting trapped on certain streets.

People were getting in their cars but getting trapped on certain streets.

And they were trying to make their way down to what's called Pacific Coast Highway or PCH.

And they were trying to make their way down to what's called Pacific Coast Highway or PCH.

So there was only a small section of it that people could get to, and that was really clogged. So people had just abandoned their cars. Yeah, what happened? Why did you have to get out and go?

So there was only a small section of it that people could get to, and that was really clogged. So people had just abandoned their cars. Yeah, what happened? Why did you have to get out and go?

There's even this moment when a local news anchor is interviewing somebody in the Pacific Palisades.

There's even this moment when a local news anchor is interviewing somebody in the Pacific Palisades.

And he's sort of pleading with viewers and residents, hey, leave your keys in your car if you do abandon it, because then he and others could help move the cars out of the way for the fire department. And then I think at one point a reporter asks him his name.

And he's sort of pleading with viewers and residents, hey, leave your keys in your car if you do abandon it, because then he and others could help move the cars out of the way for the fire department. And then I think at one point a reporter asks him his name.