Councilwoman Park Speaks at Palisades Fire Press Conference

Reported it Could be “Some Time” Before Residents Could Return Home Following Evacuation Orders

By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief

Speaking during a Los Angeles Fire Department press conference that took place at Will Rogers State Beach on Tuesday, January 7, around 3:30 p.m., Councilwoman Traci Park explained that it could be “some time” until residents under evacuation orders put in place for the Palisades fire, which began at 10:30 a.m. and had reached more than 1,200 acres at press time, could return home

“It may take our partners at fire a couple of days to get the situation under control,” Park said. “It may be some time until people are allowed to return to their homes and residences. Please bear with us during this period as our public safety partners work hard to protect lives and property, and ensure that this area is safe before people return.”

At the time of the press conference, LAFD Fire Chief Kristin Crowley reported that structures had burned.

Park was one of several officials who spoke during the press conference, beginning by thanking “all of our public safety partners.”

“LA [Fire Department] has over 250 firefighters on the frontlines in the hillsides right now,” she said, “actively fighting this fire supported by more than 100 firefighters from LA County Fire, as well as additional resources from Orange County, Ventura County, CAL FIRE and neighboring cities, including Arcadia and Santa Monica.”

She also thanked law enforcement, including California Highway Patrol, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and Los Angeles Police Department, for their “terrific coordinated response with us today.”

“To my constituents here in Pacific Palisades, I want to reiterate, this is not a drill, this is an actual public safety emergency,” Park continued, noting that areas west of Mandeville Canyon and north of Pacific Coast Highway to Topanga Canyon Boulevard were under evacuation orders.

Outside of the Palisades, an evacuation order had been issued for Topanga and Malibu near Tuna Canyon Road, with CAL FIRE advising residents to “leave now.” Evacuation warnings were also in effect at the time, extending as far west as Pepperdine and north as Calabasas.

“Please make sure you are packed and ready to go, and complying with all directives being given to you by law enforcement and by our partners at the fire service as well,” Park said of those watching who were not under evacuation orders at the time.

An evacuation center had been set up at Westwood Recreation Center, while people with large pets could go to Los Angeles Equestrian Center.

Park described the fire as a “dynamic situation” that was “fast-moving and growing,” with predicted wind patterns to increase over night on Tuesday.