The affluent Pacific Palisades neighborhood in Los Angeles has long been a celebrity hideaway and magnet for those drawn to nature’s doorstep not far from the skyline of downtown Los Angeles. A wildfire driven by powerful winds is burning through the seaside community of 23,000, where thousands were ordered to evacuate. Bookended by Malibu to the west and Santa Monica to the southeast, the enclave might not be as well known as its neighbors. It has been venerated in song and a backdrop for a long list of films and TV shows — the Beach Boys celebrated its famous waves in “Surfin’ U.S.A.”
