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.

Thousands of people fled their homes as a brush fire in the Pacific Palisades quickly spread to 1,260 acres Tuesday, a blaze which authorities said could grow further as even stronger winds are expected through the night.

Gregg Champion was trying to reach his Pacific Palisades business on Tuesday morning when he was met with flames so intense he could feel their heat and smoke so dense he struggled to breathe.

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.