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 situation prompted the Los Angeles Fire Department to take the rare step of putting out a plea for off-duty firefighters to help. It was too windy for firefighting aircraft to fly, further hampering the fight.

The massive Palisades Fire broke out in Los Angeles on Tuesday afternoon, prompting mandatory evacuations affecting tens of thousands of people and highway closures. Later Tuesday, the Eaton Fire broke out in the foothills of Pasadena on the other side of Los Angeles County.

The Palisades, Eaton and Hurst fires are threatening homes, as strong winds, low humidity and dry vegetation help the blazes spread, fire officials said.

Thousands of people fled their homes as a brush fire in the Pacific Palisades quickly spread to 1,260 acres Tuesday, a blaze which authorities said could grow further as even stronger winds are expected through the night.

A large bush fire threatens more than 25,000 homes and structures in Los Angeles as Southern California grapples with a brutal wind storm Tuesday. The Palisades Fire has burned nearly 3,000 acres acres since it was reported at around 10:30 a.

The Palisades Fire and Eaton Fire in California are spurring evacuations as strong Santa Ana winds stoke the flames. Follow live updates.