In the catastrophic Palisades fire, one of the city’s iconic thoroughfares was severely damaged and large swaths of homes were reduced to smoldering rubble.

By Wednesday morning, residents of Pacific Palisades woke up to a scene straight out of a nightmare. Sunset Boulevard, usually bustling with life, resembled a

Los Angeles has been battling fires fueled by violent winds of up to 160km/h. Nearly 180,000 people have had to flee their homes. Since the start of the fire, which broke out near Pacific Palisades before moving into the San Fernando Valley,

The blaze tearing through the posh neighborhood nestled above the Pacific Ocean has already consumed over 10 percent of area, and remains out of control.

As of Thursday, the Palisades fire had reached 15,000 acres, spreading to Malibu and Topanga and torching homes and restaurants along the Pacific Coast Highway. One resident told the Washington Examiner ’s video producer Natasha Sweatte that his community is coming together in this time of crisis.

The Palisades Fire erupted Tuesday in Los Angeles, fueled by strong winds gusting between 50-80 mph. Video from the Pacific Coast Highway shows homes and power poles on fire as the fire continues its rapid spread.