Palisades fire destroying celebrity-packed LA neighborhood is 'worst case scenario' for southern California: Live updates

The California Department of Forest and Fire Protection have just warned residents there is an immediate threat to their lives.

In a statement, the department said: 'Immediate threat to life. This is a lawful order to LEAVE NOW. The area is lawfully closed to public access.'

An evacuation center has been set up at Westwood Recreation Center at 1350 South Sepulveda Blvd for anybody seeking shelter.

The City of Los Angeles revealed on Tuesday afternoon that 'due to fire activity and weather conditions, the following schools are relocating:

Palisades Charter Elementary School and Marquez Charter Elementary School will relocate to Brentwood Elementary Science Magnet at 740 Gretna Green Way, Los Angeles, CA 90049.

Paul Revere Charter Middle School will relocate to University High School Charter at 11800 Texas Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90025.

Topanga Elementary Charter School students reported to Woodland Hills Academy at 20800 Burbank Blvd, Woodland Hills, 91367.

Affected schools are communicating directly with families.'

The fire is now occupying 770 acres, more than doubling in size in just half an hour.

At 2pm local time, it was just 300 acres.

There are reports coming out of Pacific Palisades that residents are finding it difficult to leave due to the amount of abandoned cars on the roads.

Police Academy star Steve Guttenberg said the fire is near his home and that people are abandoning their cars and making it hard for firetruck to make it up the road.

Guttenberg is urging his fellow neighbors to leave their keys in their car if they're leaving their vehicle behind 'so guys like me can move your car.'

'We really need people to move their cars,' he told KTLA. 'So if you leave your car on Palisades Drive, leave the key in there.'

James Woods, 77, shared a video on Tuesday afternoon of the blaze near his home as he prepared to evacuate.

'Standing in my driveway ready to evacuate. We've got a lot of planes going over dropping water,' he said.

'S**t.'

In the video, it appeared as though a house further up on the hills had already been engulfed in flames.

Southern California Edison (SCE) shut off power to Cuthbert, Galahad, and parts of Malibu on Tuesday due to 'dangerous fire weather,' according to an alert on Tuesday.

The company expected the power to be out for at least eight hours and it could be longer if crews need daylight to visibly inspect power lines and equipment. The inspection is required before SCE will restore power.

Roughly 27,000 homes state-wide are without power, according to poweroutage.us.

According to meteorologist Paul Deano, the wildfire situation in California is 'near worst case scenario' for locals.

He said the winds reaching 55mph are pushing the fire further toward neighborhoods - putting more homes and civilian lives at risk.

Los Angeles Fire Station 23 has reportedly caught fire as the Pacific Palisades inferno continues to spread.

The Los Angeles Fire Department has issued a map illustrating the mandatory evacuation zone.