Los Angeles, 8 January 2025 (PA Media/dpa/MIA) — The Hollywood premieres of "Unstoppable" and "Wolf Man" have been cancelled as 30,000 people were ordered to evacuate a rapidly growing wind-driven wildfire in California.

People living in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood, home to numerous A-list celebrities, were told “don’t wait, evacuate” by the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services as the blaze burned more than 1,200 acres within five hours.

The Screen Actors Guild Awards also cancelled their live nominations announcement because of the wildfires in Los Angeles.

Nominations for the SAG Awards, a reliable indicator for the Oscars, were due to be announced on Wednesday morning at an event hosted by actors Joey King and Cooper Koch.

A statement from the awards organizers said: “We urge everyone to stay safe and thank you for your continued support.”

The awards will take place on February 23, hosted by actress Kristen Bell.

The Hollywood premieres of "Unstoppable," starring Jennifer Lopez, and Ryan Gosling-produced "Wolf Man" were cancelled earlier.

"Los Angeles is currently experiencing an extreme fire weather condition with red flag alert," the Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley said during a press briefing.

"The fire is being fueled by a combination of strong winds and surrounding topography, which is making it extremely challenging for our personnel that are assigned to this incident."

She confirmed there had been no injuries, but multiple structures had been damaged in the blaze which saw more than 250 firefighters – including 46 engines and five helicopters – on the scene.

During the press briefing, Governor Gavin Newsom thanked US President Joe Biden for offering help, with a state of emergency declared.

“By no stretch of the imagination are we out of the woods," Newsom said, suggesting the highest winds were forecast overnight.

Plumes of thick black smoke billowed over miles of traffic jams as residents attempted to flee, with US officials shutting down sections of the Pacific Coast Highway, according to the California Department of Transportation.

Among the stars evacuating was US actor James Woods, who shared security camera footage on X of flames engulfing a nearby home and at the bottom of his balcony.

“We were blessed to have LA fire and police depts doing their jobs so well. We are safe and out ... Can not speak more highly of the LA fire and LAPD,” the Golden Globe and two-time Emmy-winning actor wrote.

Actor Steve Guttenberg, who lives in the Pacific Palisades, urged people who abandoned their cars to leave their keys behind so they could be moved to make way for fire trucks.

“This is not a parking lot,” he told KTLA. “I have friends up there and they can’t evacuate ... I’m walking up there as far as I can moving cars.”

On Tuesday, the Los Angeles City Fire Department said in a statement: “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 California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said southern California is facing a “critical” weather event as “strong Santa Ana winds and low humidity” were causing “extreme wildfire risks.”

Forecasters from the National Weather Service for Los Angeles warned of “life-threatening, destructive” gusts that could last for days, bringing extreme fire risk to areas that have not seen substantial rain for many months.

It comes less than a month after residents in Malibu were evacuated from a wind-driven blaze dubbed the Franklin Fire, which saw more than 4,000 acres burn and stars including Dick Van Dyke, Cher and Jane Seymour forced to leave their homes.