Major brush fires burning in SoCal amid powerful windstorm

A new brush fire erupted Wednesday afternoon, triggering evacuations in the Acton area.

A new brush fire erupted Wednesday, triggering evacuations in the Acton area. The Lidia Fire has spread quickly into the Angeles National Forest.

The so-called Lidia Fire along Soledad Canyon Road quickly grew to 348 acres, spreading to the Angeles National Forest.

The blaze was 40% contained as of 6:20 p.m. Wednesday.

California Highway Patrol officers were conducting evacuations near Soledad Canyon and Agua Dulce Canyon roads.

Soledad Canyon Road was shut down between Agua Dulce Canyon Road and Crown Valley Road.

The following animal shelters were established:

Castaic Animal Care Center
31044 Charlie Canyon

Lancaser Animal Care Center
5210 W Ave, Lancaster

Palmdale Animal Care Center
38550 Sierra Hwy, Palmdale

Latest on the Lidia Fire here.

Five people have now died in the Eaton Fire, which continues to burn out of control near the Altadena and Pasadena areas.

L.A. County Sheriff Robert Luna confirmed the death toll to Eyewitness News on Wednesday. During an early morning press conference, authorities had said there were two lives lost.

Five people have died in the Eaton Fire, which continues to burn near Altadena and Pasadena, Sheriff Robert Luna confirmed on Wednesday.

The sheriff emphasized the importance of leaving if you live in the evacuation zone.

"If you are under an evacuation order, please leave right away....I keep on repeating myself - I know it''s your home, but nothing is worth risking your life," he said. "If you're under an evacuation warning, get everything ready and be ready to go, because those winds are blowing. This is just so unpredictable, and we just don't want anyone else to get hurt."

The Eaton Fire erupted shortly after 6 p.m. on Tuesday and has since burned 10,600 acres with zero containment. View the fire evacuation maps here.

The Pacific Palisades fire is sweeping through neighborhoods at a devastating rate, and now, we're learning just how much of the area might be gone.

ABC7's Josh Haskell, who grew up in the community, believes 50 to 75% of Pacific Palisades is gone, adding that the number is not an exaggeration.

"I cannot explain the level of devastation that I just saw," he said. "My photographer and I are literally numb from driving."

While officials reported earlier in the morning that 1,000 structures had been destroyed, Haskell says that number is sure to increase, noting the entire business district -- including Ralph's, Starbucks, Gelson's -- is gone.

ABC7's Josh Haskell, who grew up in the community, believes 50 to 75% of Pacific Palisades is gone, adding that the number is not an exaggeration.

Here are all the wildfires burning in Southern California at a glance.

Sunset Fire in Hollywood Hills area

- 43 acres

- Mandatory evacuations

Sunswept Fire in Studio City

• No official containment numbers as if Thursday at 2:30 a.m.

• Firefighters remain on scene to fight flare-ups

Eaton Fire in San Gabriel Valley

- 10,590 acres
- 972 structures destroyed
- 5 deaths

Palisades Fire

- 17,234 acres

- 1,000 structures burned

Hurst Fire in Sylmar

- 855 acres

- 10% contained

Lidia Fire in Acton area

- 348 acres

- 40% contained

Woodley Fire in Sepulveda Basin

- 30 acres, contained

Tyler Fire

- 11 acres, contained