LOS ANGELES – A fire erupted early Monday morning to the west of the 405 Freeway near Getty Center Drive, prompting mandatory evacuation orders, Los Angeles city firefighters said.

The fire was believed to have been 3-4 acres when first observed and but soon spread to about 40 acres. By 7 a.m., it was reported at 500 acres.

Fire officials described the inferno as “very dynamic, moving in a westward direction driven by high winds.” The National Weather Service said that winds of up to 66 mph were reported in the area.

LAFD officials said that at least five homes were destroyed and 10,000 structures were threatened. No injuries have been reported.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti signed an emergency declaration in the county just before 7 a.m. in order to provide additional resources to support firefighters and first responders battling the blaze.

MANDATORY EVACUATIONS:

Mandatory evacuations were in place for residents east of Sullivan Fire Road to the 405 (nothing east of the 405) up to and including the Mountain Gate Community. This includes Chautauqua Blvd down to PCH.

“If you’re in the mandatory evacuation zone and you’re still there watching this, you’re an idiot. Get the hell out. It’s way too dangerous.” Councilman Paul Koretz said.

EVACUATION WARNING:

Mulholland to the North, Topanga Canyon to the West, Sunset to the South and Mandeville Canyon to the East.

EVACUATION CENTERS:

-Westwood Recreation Center (1350 South Sepulveda)
-Van Nuys / Sherman Oaks Recreation Center  (14201 Huston St)
-Stoner Recreation Center (1835 Stoner)
-Palisades Recreation Center (851 Alma Real Dr)
For Animals:
-West Valley Animal Shelter (20655 Plummer St)
-West LA Animal Shelter (11361 W Pico Bl)
-Hansen Dam is also now open to receive large animals

ROAD CLOSURES:

The southbound 405 Freeway from the 101 Freeway to Sunset Blvd. was closed around 8:15 a.m. Monday, according to the California Highway Patrol. All on and off-ramps from Valley Vista to Sunset Blvd in both directions off the 405 Freeway were also closed, as well as Monaga Drive, Getty Center Drive, Skirball Center Drive and Mulholland Drive. Just before 9 a.m., the CHP closed the Pacific Coast Highway at Temescal Cyn Rd. traffic was being diverted north on Temescal.

SCHOOL CLOSURES:

Several Los Angeles area schools were closed Monday due to a wildfire that erupted in the overnight hours near the Getty Center. Click here for a full list.

POWER OUTAGES:

At 5 a.m, at least 2,600 LADWP customers were without power due to the Getty Fire. By 7:15 a.m., that number decreased to 900 customers. The outage was impacting residents in the Bel Air, Westwood and Brentwood neighborhoods.

“Our water and power crews are in the area ensuring adequate water supply and firefighter support and safety near power lines,” LADWP said in a tweet.

Southern California Edison (SCE) initiated a “Public Safety Power Shutoffs” (PSPS) around 8:30 a.m., cutting power to more than 15,000 customers in Fresno, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura Counties. They are also considering shutting off power to more than 350,000 customers as a precaution due to the high winds. PSPS’s occur when forecasts indicate elevated weather conditions. Power companies assess the impact to affected areas, analyze historical data to help predict the likelihood of a wildfire occurring, and closely monitor weather watch alerts from NWS prior to shutting off the power.

A witness called 911 at 1:32 a.m. reporting that a fire started on the hillside close to the freeway with a possible power line on fire, authorities said during a Monday morning press conference.  

At around 2:45 a.m., the Los Angeles Fire Department sent L.A. residents messages on their cell phones. It said: “Emergency Alert. Prepare to evacuate due to fire near the Getty going W. More info: lafd.org/alerts.” A subsequent message included orders to actually evacuate.

Related: LeBron James among evacuees after ‘very dynamic’ wildfire erupts near Getty Center in Los Angeles

“This is a very dynamic situation due to high winds and information is quickly developing. Stay vigilant,” LAFD spokeswoman Margaret Stewart wrote on Twitter.

The nearby Getty Center, a 110-acre campus of the Getty Museum and other programs of the Getty Trust which houses artwork from the middle ages to the 20th century, was not impacted by the fire. Officials said on Twitter that the center “remains safe” with the fire to the north and west of the campus.

The cause of the fire remained under investigation.

Developing story. Refresh for updates.