LOS ANGELES — A new, rapidly spreading brush fire broke out in Los Angeles on Wednesday evening, specifically in the well-known Hollywood Hills area, which led to further evacuations for anxious locals as firefighters battled other destructive fires nearby.

The Los Angeles Fire Department issued an evacuation order just after 6 p.m. local time for parts of the Hollywood Hills, a neighborhood filled with celebrities in the heart of Los Angeles. By 10 p.m. ET, the fire, known as the Sunset Fire, had burnt through at least 20 acres and was still not contained at all, according to Cal Fire.

Evacuation orders were in effect for areas from Laurel Canyon Boulevard on the west to Mulholland Drive on the north, to the 101 Freeway on the east, and extending to Hollywood Boulevard on the south. Additionally, evacuation warnings were given for regions north of Sunset Boulevard from Beverly Hills to Hollywood.

Cal Fire reported that the Los Angeles Fire Department was actively responding to the fire.

The West Hollywood Station of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s office advised the public to stay away from the area to allow emergency workers to operate and urged residents to “prepare, gather important documents, and retrieve family members, children, and pets immediately.”

Beverly Hills officials stated on X that their fire department is monitoring the Sunset Fire closely, which ignited near residential areas and the popular Runyon Canyon hiking paths. Parts of Beverly Hills, specifically areas north of Sunset Boulevard and east of Coldwater Canyon Drive, have been designated as voluntary evacuation zones.

Margaret Stewart, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles Fire Department, emphasized the urgency of the situation to KABC-TV, saying, “We know this area is densely populated; there is no time to waste. We need people to exit calmly and quickly heading south.”

‘It feels like we’re being surrounded by the fires’

The fire is situated just west of the Hollywood Bowl music venue and around 10 miles southwest of the renowned Hollywood Sign. Sunset Boulevard near the blaze is home to many famous locations like the TCL Chinese Theatre, which announced on social media Wednesday night that it was closed and staff had been sent home.

Social media users have shared images and videos showing the fire spreading uphill, accompanied by a significant plume of smoke drifting toward Hollywood.

Gary Baseman, a 64-year-old Los Angeles resident, was among a small group who gathered on the rooftop of an eight-story parking garage at The Grove, a high-end outdoor shopping center, to get a closer look at the Hollywood Hills fires. “I just had to see it for myself,” shared Baseman, an artist.

Michael Carsh, who lives about a mile away, observed the fire and smoke using binoculars. “I felt safe before, but now it’s pretty frightening. It feels like we’re getting surrounded by fire.” Carsh, 49, pointed toward a section between the parking structure and the flames. “I have friends living there who are staying put for now. But I’m keeping a space ready for them.”

Dan Frieber, 39, indicated that he resides around 20 blocks from the fire and considered the rooftop of the parking garage a safe viewpoint.

“This fire is definitely the main event now,” Frieber commented. “Not to take away from the Palisades fires, but this one feels more central to L.A.”

(This story has been updated with additional information.)