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The blaze in Bel Air dubbed the Skirball Fire broke out early this morning, chewing through 475 acres and forcing mandatory evacuations for 46,000 residents. At last count, 15 structures were damaged or destroyed.
The fire is blazing east of the 405 Freeway, portions of which were closed earlier today as the inferno raced alongside it. It was closed from the 10 to the 101, creating a creepy visual during what would normally be rush hour on the famously packed freeway.
Classes at UCLA’s Westwood campus were first declared optional, then ultimately cancelled, but students who were on campus were seen sporting face masks because of the smoke from the Skirball Fire.
The fire is still burning and is only 5 percent contained. Winds were relatively calm today but are expected to ramp up tonight, which fire officials say will likely fuel existing fires.
Below, we’ve collected 15 photos of the fire as it grew.
Something you NEVER see in LA. The 405 freeway deserted. It's like a scene from @WalkingDead_AMC #SkirballFire (photo courtesy of @CBSLA) pic.twitter.com/aWnh1pWdRE
— Amy K Rogers (@Amy_KRogers) December 6, 2017
#SkirballFire #Gettycenter #405 this is happening while going south on 405 to #LAX NB 405 closed #TrafficAlert prayers for all the families up in these hills. pic.twitter.com/ab977BAca4
— Joe Mendez (@jamraiders95) December 6, 2017
Hoooly that’s so close to us RT @70sspacepunk: Today was scariest morning commute of my life: #gettycenter #skirballfire pic.twitter.com/3PpIXV8hs6
— Lesina Gaea (@xoLesina) December 6, 2017
Absolute terrifying commute this morning. #SkirballFire pic.twitter.com/RYvnImj4Ft
— Matt Smith (@mlsutah) December 6, 2017
Not the typical morning commute... pic.twitter.com/kJIOQeqsIK
— A. Mutzabaugh CMT (@WLV_investor) December 6, 2017
#SkirballFire from the Expo Line pic.twitter.com/ORHrAtaGqi
— Laura E. Davis (@lauraelizdavis) December 6, 2017