Wildfire tears through 200 acres in Los Angeles as strong winds fuel inferno

A growing wildfire has consumed 200 acres near an affluent area of Los Angeles, California as powerful dry winds and very dry vegetation fuel the raging inferno Tuesday.

The Palisades Fire is now "rapidly spreading" in a westward direction near the Pacific Palisades Highlands community, Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) spokesperson Erik Scott said in a short video posted to social media.

A cause has yet to be determined, but data from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection indicates the blaze is 0% contained after erupting around 11:04 a.m. local time (1904 GMT).

The LAFD has ordered Palisades residents to evacuate, and has established an evacuation center at the Westwood Recreation Center.

"People in the area of Palisades need to evacuate now due to a rapidly moving wildfire. Pack all people and pets into your vehicle and leave the area immediately. If you are not in the mandatory evacuation zone, stay off the roads to allow first responders and evacuees to move quickly," the LAFD said in an alert to local residents.

The fire is being fueled by what the National Weather Service is calling a "life-threatening and destructive windstorm" that is slated to run through Wednesday morning.

Wind gusts are expected to range between 50-80 mph (80-129 kph) with isolated areas in the mountains and foothills of Los Angeles expected to face gusts of 80-100 mph (129-160 kph).