Tens of thousands of Southern Californians were ordered to flee their homes Tuesday after a brush fire exploded in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles.

Heavy winds and dry conditions are cause for concern as the fire continues to spread in the Pacific Palisades area

Wildfires began breaking out in Southern California Tuesday morning as a life-threatening, widespread windstorm that could be one of the most destructive to hit the region in over a decade roars to life and creates extremely dangerous fire weather conditions.

A windstorm is threatening to spread a brush fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood in southern California and could trigger more fires as evacuations are underway.

The region’s utility company said it was prepared to cut power to more than 400,000 customers to try to prevent more blazes.

Beginning Tuesday afternoon, the windstorm will affect Los Angeles and Ventura counties and peak in the early hours of Wednesday.

High winds that weather officials have called "life-threatening and destructive" are hitting Southern California Tuesday, sparking a major brush fire in Pacific Palisades and prompting thousands of power outages.

Fueled by strong Santa Ana winds, low humidity and ongoing drought conditions, wildfires erupted Tuesday in Southern California, threatening homes in Pacific Palisades.

Resident Nicolas Libonati said he saw a lot of abandoned cars on the road, and people running toward the coast. "It was kind of a surreal scene," he said.

Locations of “greatest concern” in the “life-threatening” and “destructive” windstorm include cities within Los Angeles and Ventura counties.