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 blaze began shortly after the start of a Santa Ana windstorm that the National Weather service warned could be the strongest to hit Southern California in more than a decade.

Extreme weather conditions in Southern California fueled by ferocious Santa Ana winds have created at least four wildfires, leading to at least two deaths, multiple injuries, thousands of mandatory evacuations, and widespread property destruction. ➤ Get weather and fire alerts via text: Sign up to get current wildfire updates by location